House of Commons Hansard #210 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was war.

Topics

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister 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.

KosovoOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

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?

KosovoOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, no.

KosovoOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

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?

KosovoOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Art Eggleton Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, no they are not.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Reform

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?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Brant Ontario

Liberal

Jane Stewart LiberalMinister 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 SectorOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

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?

Volunteer SectorOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister 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.

KosovoOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

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.

KosovoOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Saint-Maurice Québec

Liberal

Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister

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

KosovoOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

NDP

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?

KosovoOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Winnipeg South Centre Manitoba

Liberal

Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister 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.

KosovoOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

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?

KosovoOral Question Period

3 p.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Art Eggleton LiberalMinister 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 GalleryOral Question Period

3 p.m.

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.

Presence In The GalleryOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear.

Foreign Affairs And International TradeRoutine Proceedings

3 p.m.

Winnipeg South Centre Manitoba

Liberal

Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister 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”.

Foreign Affairs And International TradeRoutine Proceedings

3 p.m.

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 PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3 p.m.

Peterborough Ontario

Liberal

Peter Adams LiberalParliamentary 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 HouseRoutine Proceedings

3 p.m.

Liberal

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.

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Peterborough Ontario

Liberal

Peter Adams LiberalParliamentary 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 ActRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Reform

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 HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Peterborough Ontario

Liberal

Peter Adams LiberalParliamentary 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.

Committees Of The HouseRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Is it agreed?