Debates of Dec. 2nd, 1999

Canadian Forces

[Jocelyne Girard-Bujold, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last May 1, the Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development recommended the government declare a moratorium as of January 1, 2000 on live firing by the Canadian forces at Lake Saint-Pierre.

My question is for the Minister of National Defence. Does the government intend to accept the committee's recommendation and prohibit the use of shells and artillery at Lake Saint-Pierre to give the lake back to the people living on its shores?

[Robert Bertrand, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, as my hon. colleague knows, the matter has been under study for a number of years and remains so. Once a report has been prepared, we will release it.

Employment Insurance Fund

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, in 1986, the auditor general requested the unemployment insurance account be integrated with the government's general fund.

On Tuesday, the auditor general criticized the size of the surplus in the employment assurance fund and said it should be kept to a maximum of $15 billion instead of the current $25 billion.

Is this government going to listen to the auditor general as it did in 1986 and reduce the surplus by increasing the number of unemployed eligible?

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, from the outset, we have continually reduced employment insurance contributions. Today, they stand at $2.40, down from $3.07 in 1993. This is progress, and we will continue.

Rcmp

[Diane St-Jacques, Progressive Conservative, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have consulted an official RCMP report entitled “Proposed reorganization of operating structure—C Division”.

This report, which was submitted to the solicitor general, recommends the closing of seven RCMP detachments in Quebec: Granby, Saint-Hyacinthe, Valleyfield, Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Roberval, Baie-Comeau and Joliette.

Will the solicitor general be following up on this report and, if so, is closing RCMP detachments the government's new strategy for combating organized crime?

[Jacques Saada, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the member, as well as the members for Beauce and Brome—Missisquoi, for their work on this issue.

One point is in order. The document referred to is a working document and in no way a report to the solicitor general. The solicitor general has seen no report in this regard, and no decision has been taken on this matter.

I want to make this extremely clear. As I said yesterday, during the debate on organized crime, no decision has been taken.

Northern Ireland

[Sarkis Assadourian, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

It appears that after decades of sectarian strife in Northern Ireland, the two sides of this historical conflict are finally moving toward a lasting peace.

What role has the Canadian government played in the peaceful political resolution of this conflict?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure all members of the House will want to join me in congratulating both parties in Northern Ireland for their historic sharing of power agreement.

In terms of Canadian involvement, as we all know the Prime Minister paid a very important visit to Northern Ireland a few months ago at a strategic time. At that time, he announced a major contribution to the Ireland fund to help with the peace process.

There is also the magnificent work being done by John de Chastelain on the decommissioning environment, Professor Shearing on the crime commission and other Canadians who are making a major contribution in bringing peace to that country at long last.

Csis

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Corporal Read went to CSIS twice. First, when he discovered the evidence of the loss of control in Hong Kong, and second, when he concluded that a cover-up had been put in place above him in the RCMP.

His allegations of cover-up and obstruction of justice pointed to specific superiors to him in his chain of command.

How can Corporal Read, how can Canadians, how can anyone have confidence that this will be uncovered without the appointment of a special prosecutor?

[Jacques Saada, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I thought I made myself clear, but apparently I did not, so I will say it again.

The internal investigation now under way was not launched at because the member opposite caused it to happen. It was launched at the instigation of the RCMP commissioner, who appointed senior officers in no way associated with the allegations to conduct the investigation and submit a report.

This brings up a fundamental problem I think bears looking at. Every time the Reform Party wants to go after a specific issue, it attacks the institutions in question.

Haiti

[Maud Debien, Bloc, Laval East, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Americans have already announced their intention to withdraw their troops stationed in Haiti by the end of this month. This decision may result in the withdrawal of members of the UN peace forces.

This is truly a policy of abandonment that would further jeopardize the fragile peace in that country and could lead to a situation worse than the one that prevailed before 1994.

Could the Minister of Foreign Affairs update the House on the peacekeeping operations in Haiti and indicate whether he intends to ask the security council to extend—

[The Speaker]

The Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, at the United Nations we have been part of a group that has put together a resolution which will be put to the general assembly that will extend a new mission into Haiti. Our primary role will be to support the development of police activities. CIDA is providing major support in developing the police capacity of Haiti. We will continue to be engaged in other major developments in that country.

I can assure the hon. member that Canada is still directly and clearly committed to maintaining the peace and building the peace in that country.

Employment Insurance

[Louise Hardy, NDP, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.

Considering that women have borne so much of the brunt of changes to the EI program and she has initiated extended maternity benefits, there are so many women who are now on benefits who would love to stay home with their children. Would the minister extend those benefits and make an early intervention so that they can stay home with their children now?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see that the hon. member and her party are supportive of our approach of extending parental benefits to a year. We are looking forward to having this implemented, as the Prime Minister has indicated, before the beginning of 2001. I am glad to see that they will be supportive as we proceed with that initiative through the House.

Fisheries

[Mark Muise, Progressive Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, when I hear the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans saying consultation involving all stakeholders is required to find a solution to the east coast fishing crisis, I ask myself: if this is true, why did DFO purposely ignore non-native fishers' participation in Wednesday's meetings in Halifax where a recent controversy over the Acadia band's decision to withdraw from an agreement with non-native fishers was being discussed?

Is this consultation process an indication of things to come?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to report to the House that our officials are working with the Acadia band. We are also keeping the commercial fishermen involved. I think it is important to bring the parties together. That is exactly what DFO officials are doing. I am confident we will have a resolution to this problem very quickly.

Points Of Order

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order arising from question period. I believe you would find that the parliamentary secretary, in answering my question, accused the Reform Party of misleading Canadians. I believe that word is unparliamentary. I would ask you, Mr. Speaker, to have him withdraw it.

[The Speaker]

My colleague, I will check the blues and I will see what was said during the course of debate. If necessary, I will come back to the House.

Business Of The House

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is our favourite time of the week, the Thursday question. I know the government House leader is going to enlighten us very shortly as to the nature of the business for this week and the week following.

I was wondering if he might also be able to inform the House whether or not the government would see fit, in its wisdom, to allow several days of debate on the very important piece of legislation which affects all British Columbians and Canadians, that being Bill C-9, the Nisga'a legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would be pleased to answer the last question first.

I am pleased to inform the House that by the end of the day today the Nisga'a agreement, Bill C-9, will have been debated in the House and committee for no less than 61 hours and 40 minutes. This shows the tremendous openness of this government. I thank the hon. member for having given me the occasion to state that.

This afternoon, we will continue the debate on Bill C-9, the Nisga'a Final Agreement Act. Tomorrow, we will consider second reading of Bill C-17 dealing with amending the Criminal Code.

In the unlikely event that we do not complete the Nisga'a bill today, after 61 hours and 40 minutes of debate, we would then return, as unlikely as that is, to the report stage of Bill C-9 on Monday. When this is complete on Monday, we will then turn to the report stage of Bill C-2, the Elections Act.

On Tuesday, I would offer to the House Bill C-2, the Elections Act, again.

The back-up bill on Wednesday, if we have completed Bill C-2 by then, would then be Bill C-15.

Thursday, December 9, shall be an allotted day and the last day in the supply cycle.

Ways And Means

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1), I wish to table a notice of a ways and means motion respecting amendments to 16 acts: the Excise Tax Act and a related act; the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act; the Budget Implementation Act, 1997; the Budget Implementation Act, 1998; the Budget Implementation Act, 1999; the Canada Pension Plan; the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act; the Cultural Property Export and Import Act; the Customs Act; the Customs Tariff; the Employment Insurance Act; the Excise Act; the Income Tax Act; the Tax Court of Canada Act; and the Unemployment Insurance Act, as well as explanatory notes. The enormous breadth and scope of these legislative changes bear testimony to the progressive, forward looking approach of Canada's beloved finance department.

I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of this motion.

Committees Of The House

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Following consultations of the House leaders, I think you would find unanimous consent for adoption of the two following motions.

The first deals with the existing mandate of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. The motions reads as follows:

That the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights be designated as the committee for the purposes of section 233 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.

[The Speaker]

Does the hon. parliamentary secretary have the consent of the House to put the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.