House of Commons Hansard #213 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was plan.

Topics

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Reform

Randy White Reform Langley—Abbotsford, BC

Mr. Speaker, I believe that to be a lie.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

The Speaker

We will settle it at the end of question period. The hon. member for South Surrey—White Rock—Langley.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Reform

Val Meredith Reform South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC

Mr. Speaker, Chief Stewart Philipp, the president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, described the B.C. government's action as “very aggressive, what we call the jackboot approach”.

It is clear that all British Columbians, including B.C. Liberals and aboriginal leaders, want a full debate on the Nisga'a agreement.

Will this government commit to British Columbians that it will not introduce the Nisga'a bill until B.C. has had a full debate?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Provencher Manitoba

Liberal

David Iftody LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, I said that the Government of Canada has made a commitment to the Nisga'a people and as a tripartite signatory to that agreement we will be introducing that particular legislation in the House at the appropriate time. We will have a debate on it, as we promised.

I reiterate that the member for Skeena asked for a tripling or a doubling of the budget of the standing committee on Indian affairs to bring in people and to hear witnesses on this particular issue.

We will do it when the time comes and it will be done.

Air TransportationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Guimond Bloc Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Quebecois did not start just yesterday to criticize the cost-benefit approach of Nav Canada and the lack of conscientiousness on the part of Transport Canada in closing regional flight information stations.

In December, seven people died in Baie-Comeau, and last week a plane crashed in Gaspé tragically killing four people in the middle of a snow storm.

My question is for the Minister of Transport. Does he not think that a flight information station in Gaspé would have been able to describe the weather conditions to the pilot more accurately and thus save four lives?

Air TransportationOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Don Valley East Ontario

Liberal

David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada regrets the accidents in Baie-Comeau and in the Gaspé.

As members know, Nav Canada is a not for profit corporation directing air navigation operations. It has a process for deciding whether navigational equipment is needed. The transport safety board is investigating the situation, and I will respond after the investigation.

KosovoOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Sheila Finestone Liberal Mount Royal, QC

Mr. Speaker, last week while in Brussels, world parliamentarians from 136 countries addressed the horrendous events unfolding in Yugoslavia. Here in Canada the debate continues on military options in Kosovo while the ongoing humanitarian crisis destabilizes the countries in the region.

My question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. What is Canada doing to promote stability in the area and to assist refugees already in those countries?

KosovoOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Winnipeg South Centre Manitoba

Liberal

Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I think it is fair say that the refugee crisis really represents the heart of what we are trying to address in the Balkan region.

In addition to the humanitarian aid, I am pleased to announce that the Government of Canada has established missions in both Skopje and Tirana which include representatives of defence, foreign affairs and immigration. Their specific task is to work with the refugees coming across the border, to work with the countries that are accepting them and to see how they can provide assistance, stability and support in this very difficult time.

TradeOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Reform

Deepak Obhrai Reform Calgary East, AB

Mr. Speaker, the government was aware for quite some time that Canada's favoured nation status as a defence partner with the U.S.A. was at risk. With over 50,000 jobs in Canada potentially affected in every region of the country and $5 billion in trade at risk, why did the foreign affairs minister wait until things collapsed before getting personally involved?

TradeOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Winnipeg South Centre Manitoba

Liberal

Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, as we know, the U.S. congress has been applying a number of very severe restrictions on the administration concerning the release of information and technology transfer. We have had serious negotiations going on over the last three or four months. In fact we have had previous discussions.

Last Friday it tabled some new regulations which applied the requirement for an export permit for which we have had exemptions up to now. We think that is not the right step to take. We think it will have an impact on both industries. That is why when I am in Washington I will have a discussion with Secretary of State Albright. I think that is the proper response.

TradeOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Reform

Deepak Obhrai Reform Calgary East, AB

Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is the government had ample time to head off this potentially explosive situation.

Frontec, an Alberta firm, risks losing over $100 million worth of U.S. defence contracts over the next 60 days. This is just one example of over 1,500 companies that are affected. Will the foreign affairs minister tell Frontec's workers why he failed to act before the status was removed?

TradeOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Winnipeg South Centre Manitoba

Liberal

Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, the first thing I will tell them is that there was nothing in those regulations that prevents trade of defence products between the two countries. There are some new regulations being applied to govern the nature of those trades. We think they restrict against the exemptions that have been established for many years. The kind of fearmongering by the hon. member that all these contracts being lost is simply not the reality.

We will talk to the Americans to see if we can restore things to the status quo.

KosovoOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Bill Blaikie NDP Winnipeg—Transcona, MB

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

The Prime Minister has used the team metaphor to describe his understanding of NATO. We understand that. We also understand that teams have captains, water boys and everybody in between.

We want to know from the Prime Minister what he is taking to the huddle. We want to know that he is in the huddle. When he is in the huddle will he be saying that he approves of the growing range of targets being bombed in Yugoslavia, homes, offices and whatnot? These are not the selective military targets that were talked about at the beginning of this episode.

KosovoOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Saint-Maurice Québec

Liberal

Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the position of the government is very clear. We want Milosevic to make sure that his troops and his goons are no longer in Kosovo and that they will permit the return of the Kosovars to their homes. When Milosevic accepts these conditions, that will stop the bombing. Our position is very clear. We have to be effective as well. If we cannot use bombing it is better to stop. We want to use bombs to make sure Milosevic understands that we cannot tolerate what is going on in Yugoslavia at this time.

KosovoOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Bill Blaikie NDP Winnipeg—Transcona, MB

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister seems unwilling to acknowledge that the bombing has gone far beyond the selective military targets that were talked about at the beginning of the air strike campaign.

With respect to the team huddle that the Prime Minister is going to in Washington in a day or so, or perhaps even today, will it be the position of the Canadian government that the five points of NATO have to be adhered to? Will the Canadian government be going into the huddle with the position that some flexibility has to be shown with respect to those five points? What is the Canadian position?

KosovoOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Saint-Maurice Québec

Liberal

Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, one element of the position is it is desirable that the peacekeepers not only be from NATO but from many other countries, including Russia. I said that last week and I repeat it today. I believe the Russians are to be involved. They know my position. I will make the point again. It is important to involve the Russians to make sure it is not only the NATO countries that are involved. We would like the other countries to help us make sure that the murdering, the raping and the killing by the Milosevic goons stop. We have to do what is needed—

KosovoOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Fundy—Royal.

Nuclear WasteOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

John Herron Progressive Conservative Fundy Royal, NB

Mr. Speaker, Canada has a long term nuclear waste disposal problem. The material is currently stored at temporary sites at Canada's 22 nuclear reactor stations. According to the Seaborn panel, Canadians still need to be convinced that the solution is to bury it deep in the Canadian shield. Despite all of this, the government is looking at importing weapons grade plutonium from the U.S. and Russia to burn at Canadian reactors.

My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources. Does the minister have any plans to ensure that this imported plutonium will not compound Canada's nuclear waste disposal problems?

Nuclear WasteOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, I guess this is now the 19th time I have responded to the details of this question.

If there were to be a commercial MOX proposal, that would go forward. In addition to a number of other conditions that would need to be satisfied, all relevant environmental, health and safety regulations in Canada, whether federal or provincial, would have to be fully satisfied. On a scientific basis the waste that would be created by this MOX product is less than the more conventional product.

Nuclear WasteOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

John Herron Progressive Conservative Fundy Royal, NB

Mr. Speaker, we do not have to be asked to participate in the program. The Prime Minister is practically writing letters to the President of the United States perhaps even demanding to participate in the MOX program. For something that we do not have to be asked to participate in, the government is spending an awful lot of money on it. The feasibility study performed by the government indicated that the plan to burn Russian and American weapons grade plutonium would cost Canadian taxpayers $2.2 billion. The study itself has already cost Canadians $1.5 million.

How much does the government have to spend before getting the support of the Canadian parliament? Is this really a spending priority of the Canadian people?

Nuclear WasteOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, we are now on to number 20.

The fact is that the testing that may be undertaken later this year is fully within the regulatory authority and the regulatory licence afforded to AECL. It is covered within the financial arrangements provided to AECL. If there were to be a commercial program pursued after that, one of the conditions that I referred to generically in my first answer is that it would have to be on a commercial basis with no subsidization by the Government of Canada.

National ParksOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

Nancy Karetak-Lindell Liberal Nunavut, NU

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Secretary of State for Parks.

The national parks act which is presently before the House indicates that the primary mandate of Parks Canada is the protection of the ecological integrity of our national parks. Can the Secretary of State for Parks tell the House what Parks Canada is doing to fulfill this mandate?

National ParksOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Parry Sound—Muskoka Ontario

Liberal

Andy Mitchell LiberalSecretary of State (Parks)

Mr. Speaker, maintaining the ecological integrity of our national parks is a priority for the government and I believe for all Canadians.

Just last year we put a new set of environmentally sensitive principles in place to govern commercial activity within our national parks. It has as its fundamental premise that any activity cannot have any negative net environmental impact.

We placed in front of this House legislation to create marine conservation areas. We have placed in front of the House legislation to create a new agency with better economic, financial and organizational tools. In the last budget we committed an additional $35 million to create new sites within our national parks system.

TradeOral Question Period

April 22nd, 1999 / 2:55 p.m.

Reform

Charlie Penson Reform Peace River, AB

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that negotiations with the United States over Bill C-55 are going nowhere. We know the Minister of Canadian Heritage hopes a Liberal appointed majority in the Senate will rubber stamp her bill.

In the meantime the U.S. has stripped Canada of most favoured nation status on defence contracts as the first shot across the bow in a potential trade war. Canadians are wondering why is the Minister for International Trade promoting the heritage minister's narrow agenda instead of standing up and doing his job for 30 million Canadians and $177 billion of exports to the United States?