Debates of May 12th, 1999

Aboriginal Affairs

[John Cummins, Reform, Delta—South Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government has said that the charter of rights and freedoms applies to the Nisga'a government. The charter only applies if the Constitution says it applies. The Constitution limits the application of the charter to the federal and provincial governments or their agents.

As the proposed Nisga'a government is neither, I ask the minister, by what authority does she believe the charter applies to the Nisga'a government?

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

Mr. Speaker, what is clear is that the charter applies to all Canadians.

As we come to the table as a party in negotiating this important treaty, it is clear from the federal government's point of view that the Constitution and the charter of rights apply. We have worked with the province and with the Nisga'a people to assess and sort out the application of laws in all areas of the subject matter pertaining to the treaty.

[John Cummins, Reform, Delta—South Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the charter does not apply just because the government says it applies or because it is included in the treaty. The charter only applies if the Constitution says it does.

For that reason, in the Charlottetown accord, the proposed section 32.1(c) would have placed aboriginal government under the charter.

I ask the minister again: By what authority does she believe the charter applies to the Nisga'a government?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member gets at the heart of the issue of self-government and local government in the context of writing treaties in British Columbia.

If there is one thing I know, when I talk to British Columbians they want to ensure that local decisions are made by local authorities. That is exactly the case for aboriginal people. That is why we are very proud of the legislative structure that has been established in the context of this treaty.

Publishing Industry

[Wendy Lill, NDP, Dartmouth, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last fall our cultural community rallied around Bill C-55, spending months lobbying and participating in public debate. Now we discover that the bill has been left bobbing in the weeds in the Senate and the real action is taking place behind closed doors in Washington. So much for the parliamentary process.

When will the government let Canadians know the content of this secret deal? Will it allow adequate public debate before signing on the dotted line?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, there is no deal.

[Wendy Lill, NDP, Dartmouth, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I am only going by reported newspaper articles. The reported trade-off is that we allow Canadian advertising in American split-runs and they put in some Canadian content. I am not convinced that this protects our magazine industry. In any event, this fundamental change is taking place without public debate.

If there are some issues around Canadian content and American ownership on the table, these issues have to come back to parliament before they are signed on the dotted line. Do we have any assurance of that?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Canadian Militia

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

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian army in the first and second world wars was comprised primarily of militiamen.

Today, the Minister of National Defence is prepared to get rid of the militia faster than the German army ever did in the two world wars.

Is the war in Yugoslavia going to be waged on the backs of our Canadian militia?

[Robert Bertrand, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, no. These are two different issues.

We are currently doing a study of the reserves. However, the budget for the war in Kosovo is totally another matter.

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

Mr. Speaker, the document they are studying is very clear. It even contains a lot of details.

Does the minister realize that by doing away with the Canadian militia he will be destroying the cadet corps, the best school of civics available to our young people?

[Robert Bertrand, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, the document my colleague refers to is a working document.

I assume it will be one of the many documents the minister will read before making a final decision.

The Nursing Profession

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

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

Since this week is nursing week, can the minister tell the House what the government has done to encourage the nursing profession, particularly for the recruitment and retention of nurses?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the essential role played by nurses in our system is too often overlooked. The member for Kitchener Centre has been very instrumental in helping this government do something about it.

I am pleased to announce today, during nursing week, the appointment of Judith Shamian as executive director of nursing policy at Health Canada. In this new and important role, Nurse Shamian, who has an international reputation for her knowledge of nursing matters, will help the Government of Canada to ensure that everything it does is consistent with the best interests of nurses and the interests of the public.

We also created a $25 million nurse fund in the recent budget.

Fisheries And Oceans

[Gary Lunn, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in Victoria, British Columbia, the whale watching capital of Canada, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is issuing permits to the Americans to hunt injured whales in Canadian waters.

My question is quite simple. Why is the minister endorsing this insane American whale hunt and why is he not demanding a whaling free zone so that the American problem does not become ours?

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

Mr. Speaker, as usual the hon. member is quite incorrect. No permit has been issued for the killing of whale in Canadian waters.

Office Of Energy Efficiency

[Pierre De Savoye, Bloc, Portneuf, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals, who gave us the “Guide for the perfect Liberal woman candidate”, are at it again.

Indeed, the Office of Energy Efficiency has put out a practical guide for reducing automobile energy consumption. But the guide comes in two versions, one for general readership, and a simplified and less complicated version, which is oddly enough called Auto$mart Guide for women drivers.

How can the Minister of Natural Resources explain that this simplified guide has been prepared solely for—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I would inform the member that the information he is referring to is just what he says it is, a guide. It is not anything but that.

The Environment

[Rick Laliberte, NDP, Churchill River, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act needs to be enforced against polluters that harm our children. This act requires enforcement by our enforcement agencies.

Will the minister support the phase-out of toxic substances and enhance the enforcement budget of her department to stop polluters in this country?

[Christine Stewart, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act is an important piece of legislation which is coming back to the House at report stage. The member will have every opportunity to debate it and I am sure at the end of the day he will support it.

Enforcement of that legislation is a priority for my party.

Royal Newfoundland Regiment

[Norman E. Doyle, Progressive Conservative, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of National Defence.

I come from a province where Canada Day is also Memorial Day. On July 1, 1916 the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was all but wiped out in the first day of the battle of the Somme.

Can the minister assure me that the proposed downsizing of Canada's armed forces reserves will not result in the elimination of the current Royal Newfoundland Regiment?

[Robert Bertrand, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I think that all Canadians are quite conscious of the enormous sacrifices that were made by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during the last two world wars.

To reinforce what I have said before, the report that he is quoting from was produced by a group that included Reserve 2000, the councils of honorary colonels and the reserve area commanders. They produced this document in April.

It must now be studied in detail and evaluated against all of the criteria established for reserve restructuring.

Fisheries

[Gary Lunn, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans just said that he has not issued any permits.

Let me read a grey whale fishing licence signed by the Government of Canada for the Makah tribal group. This is from last fall. The minister has declared on the record that as soon as they cross into Canadian waters he will issue a licence.

He is not coming clean. He is standing up for the Americans. He is allowing the Americans to hunt grey whales in our waters. We want him to stand up for Canadians.

When is the minister going to take a stand against the Americans and stop this insane American whale hunt?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should be careful about using the term insanity.

We have to recognize that if a mortally wounded grey whale comes into Canadian waters, Canadians would want to have that animal humanely dispatched. That is a situation where I delegated my authority to the local fisheries officers so it could be done on the occasion that it occurs.

Let me repeat. There is no valid licence to any American group to kill a whale in Canadian waters, and I challenge him to table that piece of paper.