House of Commons Hansard #225 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was taxes.
Yves Rocheleau Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport.
Bill C-77 to deregulate interprovincial bus service is causing concern to both the businesses involved and the people served, especially those in the regions.
Is the Minister of Transport aware that by going after the cross-subsidization of links established by the Quebec transport commission, he is preparing to deprive people living in the regions of affordable inter city bus service?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, we have this bill before the house right now for the purpose of debate and to raise questions such as the hon. member has just raised.
Yves Rocheleau Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-77, travel by bus will cost a lot more or disappear in the regions and cost less between major cities.
Does the minister not see that, by going ahead with his bill, the federal government is not only attacking the regions yet again, but is also scuttling the revival of train service between major centres?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I must inform you that there are other provinces—British Columbia and Ontario, for example,—that have another opinion on the matter.
I think the question raised by the hon. member is one for the committee that will be studying the bill and not for Oral Question Period.
Jay Hill Reform Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately the government continues to put children's needs last. The justice minister's response to the report of the special joint committee on “Putting Kids First” is to wait until the next millennium before addressing children's needs; well after the next election.
After 55 meetings and over 500 witnesses, why do kids have to wait until the next millennium for access to both of their parents?
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member has bothered to read the response tabled in the House today, he knows that our response reinforces the principle of the best interests of the children.
One of the things the hon. member seems to forget in this discussion is that custody and access and parental responsibilities are a shared jurisdiction between the federal government and the provinces and territories.
Unlike the Reform Party that preaches provincial rights, we actually want to work with the provinces to ensure we have a family law system that does act in the best interests of all children.
Jay Hill Reform Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have read the response and it is of little comfort to the needs of children.
Over three years ago I introduced a private member's bill on shared parenting. Then we had a year for the committee to hold more than 50 meetings and hear from over 500 witnesses. Now it is going to take a minimum of three years before the minister does anything more than talk.
This minister's delay does nothing to help the 47,000 children caught up in painful custody battles each and every year. Why does the minister feel it is acceptable for thousands upon thousands of children to go through the pain of custody battles?
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I think everyone on this side of the House is very much aware of the difficult and emotional circumstances that may exist when families break up.
Unlike the hon. members on the other side of the House, we recognize that this is a complex issue and one in which the law has a role to play, but that there are other strategies that we have to work on as well. What we are committed to doing is ensuring we protect the best interests of the child but in co-operation with the provinces and territories with whom we share jurisdiction.
Michel Bellehumeur Bloc Berthier—Montcalm, QC
Mr. Speaker, the bill on young offenders is not short on contradictions. For example, the French version of the statement of principles in Bill C-68 alludes to the positive perspectives and social reintegration of adolescents, while the English version refers to the meaningful consequences of the crimes committed by young offenders.
Considering the fundamental contradiction that exists between these two principles, could the minister tell us which version will guide the courts: the French one or the English one?
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member believes that there is a problem with the form of expression in either the English or the French text of Bill C-68, I would be more than happy to discuss the matter with him in committee. If changes need to be made we will accommodate them.
Maria Minna Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
Mr. Speaker, last Friday it was announced that the Missing Children's Network Canada has entered into an alliance with Hilton Canada to increase awareness of the plight of missing children.
Can the Minister of National Revenue tell us what role his department is playing in this vital endeavour?
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, we were very happy last Friday to be part of the announcement that Hilton Canada will join the Missing Children's Network Canada to promote the cause of child safety and heighten the public's awareness of the serious problem of missing children.
I am particularly proud of my department's participation in our missing children's program which assists police forces and other agencies across Canada and internationally in locating and returning abducted children and runaways.
We all share in the responsibility to find every missing child. One missing child is one too many.
Myron Thompson Reform Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-49 fails to protect aboriginal women's property rights in the case of divorce.
The Senate is now looking at this bill and will send it back to the House with the very amendments the government refused to accept.
The minister is being given a second chance to right a wrong. Will she commit to protecting aboriginal women's property rights in this bill, yes or no?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, I continue to believe that Bill C-49 is a very good piece of legislation not only for Canadians but certainly for the 14 first nations who will now have the authority and jurisdiction to deal with lands on their reserves.
As is always the case, the Senate has the prerogative to hear witnesses and make recommendations for amendments. I would be pleased to hear them if they wish to present them to me.
Myron Thompson Reform Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, I do not think she heard the question, but I am going to look at you and I am going to ask it and I am sure you will understand.
Aboriginal women's rights were not protected in the bill. Now the minister's colleagues in the Senate are saying the same thing. How can she deny aboriginal women in this country the same property rights that other women have?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member would read the bill he would see that the 14 first nations that are part of Bill C-49 have agreed to include matrimonial property issues as they develop their land code. If they would just read the bill they would see the answer.
Dick Proctor NDP Palliser, SK
Mr. Speaker, because of low commodity prices, the failure of AIDA and unchecked input costs the pessimism on the prairies this spring is apparent to all and palpable.
Now farm organizations want a grain freight rate costing review because recent efficiencies within the system appear to be favouring CN and CP by about $200 million a year. Two hundred million dollars a year would amount to about $5,000 per farm per year.
My question to the Minister of Transport is, when he meets with the stakeholders on Wednesday in Winnipeg, will he agree to establish a comprehensive grain freight rate review?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I will be meeting on Wednesday in Winnipeg with the various stakeholders to discuss the next step following Justice Estey's report.
We are looking at a process that would facilitate an implementation of Justice Estey's report. The government feels that Justice Estey has put together a reasonable group of recommendations that move us toward a more commercially oriented system for the haulage of grain.
I will not slam the door on any reasonable suggestion from any party at that meeting.
Dick Proctor NDP Palliser, SK
Mr. Speaker, I think the minister would agree that Mr. Estey in his report did not review transportation costs in any comprehensive way. The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and many other prairie organizations stand ready to help the minister in this costing review.
Why will the minister not take this advice from a dozen prairie farm organizations and agree today to investigate this on Wednesday with them?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I think it is somewhat premature to accept the opinion of one group of stakeholders without listening to all of the stakeholders.
I should say that in this whole process I have been much heartened by the fact that the four western provinces have been united in their support for a more competitive grain transportation handling system, including the Government of Saskatchewan, the hon. member's province.
I hope that this spirit of co-operation will continue forward so we can solve this very difficult problem that has bedevilled farmers' incomes for more than a century.
André Harvey Progressive Conservative Chicoutimi, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
Since the 1996 flood—and I make no apologies for bringing this up again—everyone has become aware of the necessity to preserve the valuable heritage of the few remaining houses surrounding the little white house in the old section of Chicoutimi, known as “le bassin”, which everyone wants to preserve.
Does the Minister of Canadian Heritage intend to collaborate with the City of Chicoutimi in the signing of a bilateral agreement, if possible, to help the municipality preserve this reminder of the floods? Several dozen homes were devastated in part of downtown Chicoutimi, but there are strong feelings about preserving for other purposes—
Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, everyone in Canada, and everywhere in the world, saw that little white house being threatened by the flood waters.
This afternoon we are awaiting a call from the Mayor of Chicoutimi, and we are going to try to work together closely to develop this heritage, which belongs not only to Chicoutimi and the Saguenay region but also to Quebec and to Canada.
André Harvey Progressive Conservative Chicoutimi, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister is she really wants to work along with the municipal authorities because, right now, there is some to-ing and fro-ing going on with Quebec over residential zones and economic and cultural zones.
I hope the minister is going to help the municipality to get this matter under way. We really want to transform the entire area into a cultural and tourist attraction, which I believe will be of interest to the entire country.
Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member, who has himself shown how much collaboration is possible when there is a desire to settle something.
I can assure him that we will work together. The heritage in Chicoutimi is one that is now known throughout the world, thanks to the strength of character of the people of the Saguenay in coming through this flood which is now famous around the world.