Debates of May 14th, 1999

Airbus

[Jacques Saada, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by correcting my colleague's introduction. To the best of my knowledge, the RCMP investigation into Bre-X has not been interrupted or abandoned.

As for the charges in the Bre-X affair, they are not the responsibility of the Solicitor General of Canada or the Minister of Justice of Canada, but rather of the Attorney General of Alberta.

Furthermore, I would remind my colleague that the Solicitor General of Canada does not interfere in operational matters of the RCMP.

[Peter MacKay, Progressive Conservative, Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the last time I checked the RCMP was under the ministry of the solicitor general. Canadians are tired of excuses and want action. It is a fact that the RCMP is suffering from a severe lack of funding due to Liberal budget cuts, yet as Bre-X gets swept under the rug the partisan obsession against Brian Mulroney continues to cost millions.

The National Post described it perfectly. It said that the government was intent on finding something to do with someone about a crime yet to be established in order to prove that it was not entirely wrong headed in its pursuit of Airbus rumours in the first place.

Letting this case fester and bumble on is not an option. The solicitor general should tell Canadians when he will put an end to this futile investigation.

[Jacques Saada, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague would like to see the solicitor general decide when the RCMP needs to carry out an investigation, and when it does not. I am sorry, but that is not the role of the solicitor general.

As for the funding to which my colleague refers, I would like to quote someone whom I will identify in a few seconds “We have continued to fulfill the mandates entrusted to us. We may have sometimes been a bit on the slow side, but no investigation has ever been stopped for lack of funds”.

These are the words of Pierre Lange, Deputy Commissioner for Quebec region, whom I congratulate on his excellent work to date.

National Defence

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

Mr. Speaker, the minister of defence confirmed yesterday that the government was planning to expropriate British Columbia property in Nanoose Bay. This has never been done before in the history of Canada.

The government is resorting to threats rather than negotiation. It would not dare consider it in any other province. It would not even mention the word expropriate. This is an absolute insult to every British Columbian.

I ask the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs why the the double standard for British Columbia.

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, there is no double standard for British Columbia. We are dealing with a Canadian military base which has existed since 1965.

The last time I looked, National Defence was a totally federal responsibility under our Constitution in British Columbia and in every other part of Canada. The base is needed for the purposes of the Canadian navy and its allies. More will be said about this matter later today when an announcement is made by other ministers.

Apec Summit

[John Reynolds, Reform, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the student clamp down at the 1997 APEC summit pleased now deposed Indonesian dictator Suharto so much that his ambassador wrote to the Prime Minister thanking him for his personal efforts in ensuring his safety. I guess a little pepper-spray goes a long way in diplomatic circles.

For a PMO that has until now denied any involvement in the security forces at APEC, was getting a pat on the back from a deposed and disgraced dictator worth trampling on the rights of Canadians?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I totally reject the premise of the hon. member's question.

Representatives of the Prime Minister's Office have said that they will make themselves available to testify in this matter before the inquiry being carried out by a distinguished former supreme court judge.

The hearings are under way. Let us see what the hearings have to say and what the judge has to say. Then we will be in a position to deal with the matter in the House of Commons if such should be necessary.

Marijuana

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on the subject of the clinical trials on marijuana for medicinal purposes, our information indicates that Department of Health officials are currently in discussion with the American company Monsanto to involve it in the supply of marijuana.

This company is known for its production of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and its involvement with the bovine growth hormone controversy.

Can the minister confirm that Monsanto is being considered in the department's work hypotheses in connection with the supply of marijuana.

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, officials are currently working on preparing proposals for clinical trials. We will get started in a few weeks. I am awaiting the report and the results of their work.

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, several weeks after the minister's announcement regarding the master plan, we in the House are entitled to answers, if there is to be transparency.

My question is clear. Yes or no, have officials contacted Monsanto representatives and will the firm be included in the minister's plans?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I will be very clear. No decision has yet been made on the source of the marijuana for medical purposes, and, as I said clearly, I am awaiting the results of the work by officials.

Taxation

[Gerry Ritz, Reform, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the taxaholic Liberal government is sitting on a huge surplus. Half of that surplus has been ripped right out of Canadians earning less than $20,000 a year. That is $6 billion a year.

The Liberal government's heartless tax appetite has become a major cause of poverty, killing productivity and driving down our standard of living.

How can the tax rich Liberal government continue taking $6 billion a year from the Canadian working poor?

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party must be suffering from collective amnesia. In every one of our budgets we have cut taxes.

In the last two budgets we took 600,000 Canadians off the tax rolls. We had a tax cut of $16.5 billion over three years. That ain't peanuts.

[Jason Kenney, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is this minister who is suffering from amnesia because he seems to forget that the government has added 1.2 million taxpayers to the tax rolls, some of whom they took off in the last budget. More people are paying taxes. More low income people below the poverty who are struggling to make ends meet are paying taxes because of the government's reckless approach.

Why does he not follow the lead of the Mike Harris government which will take 600,000 low income taxpayers off the tax rolls? That is real tax relief.

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party would have us pay for tax cuts with borrowed money and drive us into deficit. We just will not do it.

Labelling Regulations

[Hélène Alarie, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, progress in biotechnology allows for the growing production of genetically modified foods that find their way on the market and on our plates. Yesterday, Deputy Minister David Dodge recognized that the Department of Health was completely overwhelmed as regards the control of these foods.

My question is for the Minister of Agriculture. Does the minister not think that one solution could be to regulate the labelling of these genetically engineered foods, so that consumers can make an informed decision about what they eat?

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

Mr. Speaker, the importance of analysing biotechnology and the results of advanced science such as biotechnology is that we use the most accurate and the best science available today.

Our regulatory framework is one of the best, if not the best in the world, in order to assure consumers that safety will be number one, safety to the environment, safety to animals and safety to humans, before any product is registered in Canada as a result of biotechnology.

[Hélène Alarie, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, does the minister realize that by not ensuring that genetically modified foods are properly labelled, he is failing to fulfill his duty to inform consumers and could undermine public confidence in the food inspection process?

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

Mr. Speaker, I emphasize again that we use the best science available today based on the advice of scientists from around the world.

Science is reviewed by peer scientists and safety is number one. When safety is number one and safety is assured based on the best science today, consumers have nothing to fear.

The Environment

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Sydney tar ponds is one of the worst environmental disasters in Canadian history. Residents now have toxic sludge laced with arsenic and other poisons seeping into their basements.

The Liberal government continues to do studies and reports yet fails to take action. When will the government take action to negotiate a permanent solution for the people of Frederick Street and surrounding areas?

[Paddy Torsney, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the hon. member is unaware of the process that is under way.

There is a joint action group that is identifying the solution. It is a grassroots organization which Environment Canada is supporting with research.

We have jurisdictional issues with the provinces. We certainly support the provincial government's decision announced last night to move families. I would hope members opposite would support that initiative as well.

[Bill Gilmour, Reform, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, try to tell the people who have toxic ooze coming into their basements that the process is working.

I have been asking questions for five years on this subject and getting very few answers. Five years, $70 million and we are no closer to a solution. There are the highest cancer rates in Canada and toxic goo oozing into basements.

When will the government permanently relocate the people of Frederick Street away from this toxic nightmare?

[Paddy Torsney, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, clearly the member opposite has demonstrated his commitment to this issue and for that we thank him.

The health of residents remains the first priority of the government. We are very pleased the province has announced that it will relocate residents. We look forward to continuing to work with the local organization that is providing the solutions.

The Government of Canada is committed to helping. There will be resources to do just that when the solutions are in place.

The Conference Of Parliamentarians From The Americas

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the conference of parliamentarians from the Americas, or COPA, is an international association which was working very well, but the federal government decided to boycott it.

In addition to boycotting it, this government now wants to replace it with another association that would exclude parliamentarians from Quebec, American states, Mexico, and many other states in the Americas.

Could the Minister of Foreign Affairs tell us why he is boycotting this international forum and wants to exclude Quebec once again?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, this is nonsense. The Canadian government participated in the first conference, the only one so far, in Quebec City. We participated once. Afterwards, the Organization of American States announced that it would set up its own association of parliamentarians.

Since the purpose of COPA was to link parliamentarians to the organization of heads of state in the Americas, which will hold a conference in Quebec City, it is only normal that the government would want to be associated with its direct counterpart, the OAS. It is as simple as that.