Debates of Feb. 2nd, 1999

National Defence

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a chronic problem developing in the minister's department.

We have a shortage of pilots in the Canadian armed forces. Obsolete equipment has now forced the grounding of instructors and pilots. This is reducing the Canadian armed forces operational capability.

What is it going to take for the Minister of National Defence to give the men and women of the Canadian armed forces the resources they need to train and do their job properly?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, following the Reform Party would certainly not help deal with these issues that we are facing today because in the last election campaign it was calling for further reductions in spending on the Canadian forces.

We are doing all we can to ensure the safety of our pilots. In this particular case we have said that some of them will not be able to fly for a period of time until we correct this problem. We want to make sure that when the planes fly that they are safe to fly and that we have in fact minimized the risk for our pilots.

Employment Insurance

[Angela Vautour, NDP, Beauséjour—Petitcodiac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, this government has been telling us that its UI reform has been benefiting Canadians.

Could the Minister of Human Resources Development explain to the unemployed and to small and medium businesses how cutting $275 million annually from the New Brunswick economy and $524 million annually from the Newfoundland economy has benefited them?

At the same time, this government is bragging that it has a UI surplus. Will the minister guarantee to Canadians that this year the UI surplus will go toward improving benefits for the unemployed and put a stop to the disgusting hardship caused to the families and communities in this country?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP would like to bring us back to the 1970s but that is not where Canadians want to go.

We have moved from an income supplement system that brought too many people to live in dependency on an EI system. It was high time that we changed and there are many people out there who appreciate that very much.

I know it is tough for some people but at the same time, EI is one program which is accompanied by many others as well. There is a Canada jobs fund which is helping to create employment in some regions where unemployment is too high. We have the youth employment strategy which helps the young integrate into the labour market. These accompany the EI reform.

[Angela Vautour, NDP, Beauséjour—Petitcodiac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the upshot of the reform is that the minister is refusing to visit New Brunswick. So much for his reform.

The minister's figures are incorrect. According to statistics from his department, in southeastern New Brunswick alone, 12,000 claimants will be without income for weeks and months.

Will the minister again contradict his own department's statistics, or will he help Canadians who are now destitute, who have no job and are not receiving benefits because of the cuts made by this government, which is completely heartless and unfeeling and only looks after the rich?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, it is clear from what the member says that she does not understand that EI is temporary assistance. Her figure includes all those who have exhausted their benefits.

It is clear from what she says that she is including everyone, and does not understand that EI is there to provide temporary relief.

But we have other programs for these people. We have active measures to help them return to the labour market. We have a Canada-wide job creation fund to help people return to the labour market.

Those who have exhausted their EI benefits want to return to work. That is the best way out of poverty.

International Olympic Committee

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

Mr. Speaker, in a recent article in Le Soleil , the President of the Treasury Board is quoted as saying that he would support a city of Quebec initiative to try to recoup the millions of dollars spent on its failed Olympic bid for the 2002 games.

It appears that a member of this government was well aware of the corruption that permeated within the IOC and should have adequately advised the Quebec Olympic committee.

Would the President of the Treasury Board not agree that the Government of Canada has some responsibility and therefore should compensate the Quebec Olympic committee for its losses?

[Marcel Massé, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, I said no such thing and therefore I do not have to comment on the subject.

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

Mr. Speaker, with the recent revelations of corruption within the IOC, many Canadians are wondering how such a scandal could have gone on. The Minister of National Defence says he did not learn of the existence of irregularities until 1991, although the City of Toronto's auditor suggests otherwise.

Can the Minister of National Defence tell Canadians when he first became aware of the corruption?

[The Speaker]

The hon. member's question is out of order. The hon. member for Carleton—Gloucester.

Y2K Problem

[Eugène Bellemare, Liberal, Carleton—Gloucester, ON]

Mr. Speaker, with the year 2000 rapidly approaching, Canadians are becoming more and more concerned about the possibility of interruptions to essential services.

My question is for the President of the Treasury Board. What is the government's state of preparedness on this subject?

[Marcel Massé, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, on this subject we have a report dated December 1998 which indicates that the government is now ready up to 82% for its mission critical government-wide systems. This compares to about 43% last June. Considerable progress has been made in that field.

From now on, there will be monthly reports, which will keep the House up to date on what is being done in the government. Our reports will be available on the Year 2000 web site.

Immigration

[Leon Benoit, Reform, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, media reports today indicate that illegal entry into Canada from China is a very serious problem. According to the RCMP and immigration officials, people smuggling is mushrooming. While legitimate refugees wait in line, those willing to break the law continue to stream into our country.

My question is for the minister of immigration. Do legitimate refugees waiting in line not deserve better than this? Do they not deserve to be put first in line?

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to state to begin with that we deplore the fact that there is illegal trafficking in immigrants on an international scale. Women and children in particular are victims of this practice, and we have just had an example of this.

This is the reason why Canada has always played a lead role in fighting this scourge, both within the country and internationally.

Clearly, when someone turns up at an entry point to this country asking for Canada's protection, requesting refugee status, we have an obligation to examine that request and to provide a response as promptly as possible, and we honour that obligation.

Poverty

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance.

With only a few weeks to go before his budget, the government continues to claim its fight against poverty is effective. However, since it has been in office, poverty has been consistently on the rise in Canada.

Would the Minister of Finance make the commitment that his upcoming budget will contain major changes to the employment insurance system, one of the main causes of the impoverishment of Canadian families?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, as the member must know, in the last budget we substantially increased the national child benefit, for the very purpose of helping poor families.

I can assure the member that it is this government's intention to remain concerned about our society's most disadvantaged.

Business Development Bank

[John Solomon, NDP, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

In most regions of Canada these days it is so rare for a business to get a government grant or a loan that it is like winning a lottery. However, in Shawinigan a businessman with a criminal record and a bad credit rating calls his MP's office and gets not one grant but five grants and two loans in one year totalling $840,000. What special criteria did this guy meet? Canadians believe these are either golf buddy grants or political in nature. Why will the Prime Minister not do as he says, come through, clear the air and appoint an independent investigator to check this thing out?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I am not quite sure what the hon. member is referring to but with respect to the loans from the Business Development Bank of Canada, I would like to direct the hon. member to a number of points.

This loan was dealt with in the normal process. It was at a level beyond the lending jurisdiction of the local branch and was therefore dealt with by a vice-president in charge of credit at the bank. It was never reviewed by for example the board of directors of the bank as it was not that large of a loan. It was at commercial rates which, in the case of the Business Development Bank of Canada, are higher than the average commercial rate. Furthermore, it was part of a financing package which included private sector lenders.

Fisheries

[John Herron, Progressive Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Speaker, earlier today on behalf of the member for Cumberland—Colchester, I contacted the minister of fisheries concerning a proposal to create a large agricultural mussel farm in the waters off Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia. The project calls for 1,200 acres to be set aside for mussel farming but many residents still have unanswered questions about the plans and how this will affect their community. Last year we wrote to the minister of fisheries and urged him to complete an environmental impact assessment to address the concerns of area residents. Will the minister announce today that he intends to respond to the concerns of the community and complete a full environmental assessment?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Fundy—Royal for his letters last month and in December.

No decision has been made with respect to establishing the mussel farm. We are on a committee with the province and interested parties. If it appears as a result of the committee examination, discussion and ultimate decision that an environmental assessment is necessary, I will look at the Fisheries Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Act and will proceed from there with the appropriate environmental assessment.

Foreign Affairs

[David Pratt, Liberal, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

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

The civil war in Sierra Leone has escalated recently with widespread killings, mutilations and hundreds of thousands of refugees. In short, it is a humanitarian crisis.

Can the minister tell the House what the government is doing at the UN Security Council to focus attention on this terrible human tragedy?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for bringing this tragic circumstance to the attention of the House.

Last week during a visit to West Africa I met with senior government officials to talk about Sierra Leone. They requested the president of the council to take the matter up. I can inform the House that after consultations it will be dealt with this week at the security council.

I can also say that as part of our commitment the Prime Minister has authorize us to offer a $1 million contribution to the peacekeeping activities in West Africa so that we can begin to deliver humanitarian aid.

[The Speaker]

That will bring to a close our question period today.

I have a question of privilege and three points of order that I will deal with. I will deal with the question of privilege first.

Yesterday the member for Sydney—Victoria raised a question of privilege. Now I am faced with this dilemma. Although at the time the question of privilege was raised the minister was not here, I see now that the hon. member, for whatever reason, is not in the House. I will hold the matter in abeyance until the hon. minister can make the statement directly when the other member is here.

I ask the hon. minister if we could do this tomorrow when the hon. member is here. I did not want the hon. member to raise the point unless the minister was here. In fairness, the minister should not make a response until the hon. member is here.

I will hear the first point of order from the hon. Minister of Human Resources Development.

Points Of Order

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House during question period the member for Burin—St. George's told us that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians had received more money from the EI account than they had paid into the account.

I call the attention of the House to the real numbers. Newfoundlanders—

[The Speaker]

The hon. minister can probably incorporate that in an answer one day in question period. This is now a point of debate.