Debates of Dec. 6th, 1999

Agriculture

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his presence in Seattle last week and for his input in discussions, along with those of a number of other MPs, members of provincial legislatures, and the farm and industry organization representatives that were there.

I am sure the hon. member has seen the text and if not, it is available to him, where it was frozen when the talks were suspended. There was a clear reference in that to the elimination of export subsidies. Unfortunately some of the countries could not agree to that and we did not get it. But it certainly was not because Canada was not pushing for it.

[Howard Hilstrom, Reform, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the government seems to be saying “We tried. Better luck next time”. This does not help farmers who cannot afford to wait for the deadlocked WTO talks to succeed.

Given the failure in Seattle, Canada must pursue bilateral agreements on agriculture and provide urgently needed short term assistance. Will the Prime Minister immediately enter into negotiations with the members of the Cairns group and the U.S. to create a trading zone free of agriculture subsidies?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry the hon. member does not understand what happened last week.

It was very clear last week that the Cairns group, of which Canada is a very important and key member, and the United States stood firm and stood together in the six hour marathon negotiations on agriculture. Unfortunately the European Union could not agree after it went back to consult with its member states. It was not because we caved in. It was because they could not and refused to come our way.

Globalization

[Stéphan Tremblay, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I tabled in this House a motion calling for the creation of a special committee to look into the effects of globalization on social cohesiveness.

My question, which involves a number of departments, will therefore be directed to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister not believe that he must set an example and establish this parliamentary committee as quickly as possible?

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

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, consideration of private members' business in the House of Commons is decided by a free vote in this House. This position was adopted by our government in 1993.

[Stéphan Tremblay, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, so long as parliament does not play its democratic role, more and more people will be trying to debate the issue in any way possible, including in the streets.

Why is the Prime Minister not assuming leadership, calling on parliamentarians and establishing a dialogue with the public to permit a debate on the social impact of globalization?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Lac-Saint-Jean for his considerable concern about globalization and its effect on social cohesiveness.

I can tell him that we are very attuned to these concerns and that, last week in Seattle, Canada strongly supported a concept of cohesiveness so that trade policies would reflect labour standards and environmental issues and so that they would all be more closely related.

I can tell him that, as far as Canada is concerned, we will continue to work very closely with the NGOs and with the business community to make sure we humanize globalization. We will also continue to support cultural diversity, which is very important.

Rcmp

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

Mr. Speaker, the solicitor general has assured the House that the RCMP are looking into allegations of corruption in the Hong Kong visa office and allegations of cover-up in the RCMP investigation.

I have an RCMP briefing note which says the investigation was to be concluded in October. This being December 6, I would like to know what is the truth. Is the solicitor general being kept in the dark by his officials again? Is he sitting on the report? Or did the police get results they did not like?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, there are two investigations taking place. There is a criminal investigation taking place on which I will not receive a report. There is an internal investigation on which I will receive a report.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is a question of confidence on the part of Canadians. I read from the briefing note “With respect to the other allegations pertaining to CAIPS and corruption, our investigation is in its final stages and is expected to be concluded this October”.

I repeat my question. This being December 6, the RCMP said it would be reporting on this in October. Has the minister received the report, yes or no? What is holding things up? How can we have any confidence in this minister?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, quite simply, I have to wait for the report. The report has not been sent to me. The RCMP has senior members of the force conducting the investigation. When they complete the investigation, I will receive a report.

Employment Insurance

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the auditor general is asking the government to increase the transparency of the criteria used for determining contribution rates and that of the surplus in the employment insurance fund as well.

My question is for the Minister of Finance. In response to the repeated requests from the auditor general, what does the minister intend to do with respect to the employment insurance criteria, since the lack of transparency has reduced parliament and the public to having to speculate on what factors lie behind decisions made relating to the employment insurance program?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the method used is totally transparent. In fact, this year, like last year, the commission has made recommendations, which the Minister of Human Resources Development and myself have followed to the letter.

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if the process is all that transparent, why is the auditor general repeating year after year that it lacks transparency?

Can the minister confirm, as I think he just has, that he has decided to ignore the auditor general's recommendations and to continue to accumulate surpluses in the fund, without being accountable for its administration?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we are following the recommendations of the auditor general.

In 1986, the auditor general asked the previous government to put these funds in the government's consolidated revenue fund, and that is exactly what we are doing.

Airline Industry

[Roy H. Bailey, Reform, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport or his parliamentary secretary.

Last night on national TV the minister stated that he would be proposing more regulations to govern the monopoly airline. Rather than more regulations, why will the transport minister not protect consumers by opening up the industry to more competition?

[Stan Dromisky, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has a clear image of the kind of proposal that the Minister of Transport has made, that is, the five principles of the policy framework that were introduced here October 26, the very same principles that you and I and other hon. members have been dealing with on the transport committee ever since.

[The Speaker]

I remind members to please address their answers to the Chair.

[Roy H. Bailey, Reform, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, last night, also on television, the transport minister was proposing a watchdog group or watchdog agency to oversee this new monopoly airline.

The minister should know that consumers make the best watchdogs. Why does the minister not create an environment for competition in the airlines instead and we would have better service and lower prices?

[Stan Dromisky, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as far as competition is concerned, the guidelines that have been followed by the transport committee are being adhered to.

We will see legislation early in the new year. The five principles of the policy framework will be adhered to. Competition is a very key factor. We have the Competition Bureau, the Canadian Transportation Agency, the House of Commons and all the members who will address some of these issues.

Financial Institutions Reform

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last June, the Minister of Finance responded to the MacKay report on the reform of financial institutions by promising a series of bills to strengthen his positions in the fall.

Can the Minister of Finance tell us whether these bills will address the issue of the ownership of small and medium cap banks, and when he intends to introduce them?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the answer to the first question is yes, with respect to chartered banks, and to the second, as soon as possible.

Immigration

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on any given night between 800 and 1,100 people seek shelter in my riding of Scarborough East because they are homeless. Approximately 400 are refugee claimants.

There is an enormous burden on my community, the food banks, the shelters, the schools and churches. Frankly, my community is suffering from compassion fatigue. After 10 years of coping, my community is turning to the federal government.

Can the minister of immigration tell the House about any new initiatives which will help with the number of refugee claimants relying on municipal health and housing services?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge the member's interest and advocacy on behalf of his riding.

The government is committed to ensuring that newcomers have the access to the essential services that they need as quickly as possible. As a result, a pilot project in Ontario has been started.

As of December 1, all refugee claimants will receive documentation at the ports of entry. This should ensure and speed access to the important public services that they need, be they the federal interim health plan, rental housing or other social services.

This is good for refugee claimants. It is also good for the people in our municipalities—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Kootenay—Boundary—Okanagan.