Debates of April 19th, 1999

Employment Insurance

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

Mr. Speaker, Standing Order 108(2) is very clear. The committee makes its own decisions and reviews the issues that it chooses.

When we undertook the employment insurance reform, we were very sensitive to its impact on communities and people across the country. I am extremely grateful to my Liberal caucus colleagues for wanting to help me understand the employment insurance reality through their own reality. I can assure members that I will listen to them very carefully, so as to help our fellow Canadians.

Kosovo

[David Price, Progressive Conservative, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister of National Defence confirm that Canadian forces are on the ground in Kosovo doing targeting and KLA support work?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, no.

[The Speaker]

In case Hansard did not get that, the answer I think was no. Is that correct? I did not hear the answer of the hon. Minister of National Defence. Could he repeat what he said?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, no they are not.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Mike Scott, Reform, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we asked the government several times why it is agreeing to ratify a Nisga'a treaty that will effectively give the Nisga'a the right to ban trade unions in the Nisga'a territory.

I ask the minister again, why is she prepared to diminish the rights of Nisga'a people by accepting a treaty that will allow the Nisga'a central government to ban trade unions in their territory?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should take the time to read the Nisga'a treaty. He will find that what he is purporting is absolutely not true at all.

Volunteer Sector

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Oak Ridges, ON]

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

This week is National Volunteer Week. The volunteer sector in this country is an indispensable part of Canadian life. It deserves the gratitude of all Canadians, but it also deserves recognition from the government for the important role it plays.

What specifically is the Government of Canada doing to encourage and support this most valuable element of Canadian society?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his very interesting question.

I could not agree more that the voluntary sector deserves much gratitude from Canadians and from the government. We want to enable them to play an even greater role in Canadian life.

The Minister of Health, the Minister of National Revenue and I are working together with voluntary sector representatives to develop ways to support and strengthen their capacity to continue their good work. On another front, this Wednesday I will also be launching a voluntary opportunities exchange, a national Internet application that matches volunteers with voluntary organizations.

Kosovo

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a member of parliament stated in the House that Canadian troops were currently positioned inside Kosovo's border.

I am asking the Prime Minister to tell this House whether or not, and regardless of the role to be played by these soldiers, there are, as we are speaking, Canadian troops on the ground, inside Kosovo's border.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is quite simple: it is no.

[Gordon Earle, NDP, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I asked the foreign affairs minister the other day about a uniting for peace resolution. He indicated that this resolution would not be appropriate unless there was an agreement by Milosevic. He talks about getting the agreement first. Perhaps the reason Milosevic is refusing to agree is because of the venue by which the agreement is being sought. That is NATO, the party that is bombing him.

Would the minister not agree that it would be worth trying another venue and seeking a uniting for peace resolution through the general assembly of the United Nations?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as I just told the hon. member's colleague, the secretary general has taken a series of initiatives this morning, establishing a special representative, undertaking a series of negotiations that is designed to get a security council agreement to a peace plan, a peace agreement. This would include the mandate of article 7 which carries with it a series of requirements of all countries in the world to live up to those obligations.

As I said to the hon. member, while these important negotiations are continuing and while the uniting for peace resolution is an option, the way we should explore right now is to see how we can support the secretary general's efforts.

[David Price, Progressive Conservative, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, why will the government not inform Canadians and parliament of the real involvement of our Canadian forces in Kosovo?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we do inform Canadians. We do inform parliament.

I went through a list previously that indicates exactly what our people are doing in the area and connected with Kosovo.

Presence In The Gallery

[The Speaker]

I wish to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the hon. Robert Hill, Minister for Environment and Heritage of Australia.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

Foreign Affairs And International Trade

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 109 I am pleased to table, in both official languages, the government response to the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade entitled “Canada and Nuclear Challenge: Reducing the Political Value of Nuclear Weapons for the Twenty-First Century”.

Members of this committee, directed by the chair, Mr. Bill Graham, heard from hundreds of Canadians on the issue, experts and concerned citizens alike, to assemble a very thoughtful report. I commend them and thank them.

In addition to the government's response to the report, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I am pleased table, in both official languages, the government's policy statement on Canada's nuclear policies entitled “Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation: Advancing Canadian Objectives”.

[The Deputy Speaker]

I am sure the hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs meant the hon. member for Toronto Centre—Rosedale when he referred to the hon. member by name and I am sure he would not want to do that again. I know he is as familiar as we all are with the hon. member for Toronto Centre—Rosedale.

Government Response To Petitions

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to nine petitions.

Committees Of The House

[John Maloney, Liberal, Erie—Lincoln, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 18th report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Pursuant to the order of reference of Thursday, October 22, 1998, your committee has considered Bill C-251, an act to amend the Criminal Code and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act on cumulative sentences, and agreed on Wednesday, March 24, 1999, to delete the clauses and the title of the bill.

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 69th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the associate membership of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the 69th report later this day.

Witness Protection Program Act

[Jay Hill, Reform, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-494, an act to amend the Witness Protection Program Act and to make a related and consequential amendment to another act (protection of spouses whose life is in danger).

Mr. Speaker, first I thank my hon. colleague for Langley—Abbotsford for seconding my bill today.

I rise to introduce my private member's bill that I call the new identities act. If passed, the bill will serve to formally protect those persons whose lives are in danger because of acts committed by their spouses, former spouses, common law spouses or former common law spouses, by bringing them into the witness protection system.

Currently there is an ad hoc program within the departments of Human Resources Development Canada and Revenue Canada to help these people create new identities in order to protect them and their children from potential harm and even death.

Unfortunately the program is without legislated mandate or adequate funding. We as parliamentarians have the obligation of doing everything we can to help these people. I hope members on all sides of the House will give the bill the non-partisan support it deserves.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Committees Of The House

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move:

That the 69th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs presented to the House earlier this day be concurred in.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is it agreed?