The hon. member for Churchill River.
House of Commons Hansard #234 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was environment.
House of Commons Hansard #234 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was environment.
The EnvironmentOral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
The Speaker
The hon. member for Churchill River.
The EnvironmentOral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
NDP
Rick Laliberte NDP Churchill River, SK
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.
When it comes to the environment, this Liberal government is all talk and no action. The environment commissioner last week agreed by titling his report “The Gap between Talk and Action”.
Bill C-32 is for pollution prevention. Canadians want the phase-out of the worst toxics in the country, but this government is for virtual elimination. This does not stop pollution. Will the Prime Minister stand up and stop pollution before he is considered the virtual Prime Minister?
The EnvironmentOral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Northumberland Ontario
Liberal
Christine Stewart LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the government is very proud of its proposed new CEPA legislation. It is legislation based on a pollution prevention principle. It is legislation that will address the most toxic substances with virtual elimination, the only country in the world that has taken the step of virtual elimination, an internationally recognized principle.
This is legislation that will help the environment and the human health of all Canadians. I hope that we will see very quick passage and promulgation of the legislation.
Gun ControlOral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Progressive Conservative
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, according to the government's own figures at the end of May, the total number of firearms registered in the Canadian firearms registry system is now 50,000. The total number of those registered to individuals is only 7,000 for 5,000 people. The laughable Liberal November estimates that the gun registration costs are $133.9 million means that this public relations exercise to date has cost a whopping $26,000 per person or $19,000 per gun. At this rate it will take over 400 years to register all the firearms in Canada.
When will the minister end the madness, display some common sense and cancel this ridiculous registration?
Gun ControlOral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Edmonton West Alberta
Liberal
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I find it very interesting that there are only a few people, obviously the hon. member is included, who think that our firearms control program is nonsense.
Over 80% of the people who live in Canada support gun control. In addition to that, they support gun registration.
I would hope that these people in light of some of the tragic events that have happened recently in this country and elsewhere would get behind gun control and responsible gun owners.
Gun ControlOral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Progressive Conservative
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, some of these people are voters. To date, the government's failure to provide efficient and timely gun legislation has forced over 5,000 businesses to close. This complicated and cumbersome bill discriminates against law-abiding owners and does nothing to stop real criminals. The Law-Abiding Unregistered Firearms Association has stated its members will go to jail rather than comply.
How much money must be spent and how many law-abiding citizens must go to jail before the minister's unworkable, insanely costly registration plan is scrapped?
Gun ControlOral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Edmonton West Alberta
Liberal
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, let me share with the hon. member some statistics that were provided recently to me by the registration program. In the first six months of operation 275 applicants were refused licences for public safety reasons. We have revoked 191 other licences for public safety reasons. Of 13,000 checks conducted as a result of sales, more than 10% were rejected for failing background checks. That is more than 1,300 potentially dangerous gun sales blocked to date.
That is what safety is about. That is what developing a culture of safety and responsibility is about. I would ask—
Gun ControlOral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
The Speaker
I remind hon. members not to use papers as props. The hon. member for Lanark—Carleton.
Shipbuilding IndustryOral Question Period
2:45 p.m.
Liberal
Ian Murray Liberal Lanark—Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry.
On May 3 the member for Nanaimo—Alberni raised concerns in the House about the shipbuilding industry. He accused the minister of selling taxpayer funded technology to another country and claimed the government was exporting Canadian jobs. Has the parliamentary secretary had the opportunity to look into that allegation and can he inform the House of the results?
Shipbuilding IndustryOral Question Period
2:50 p.m.
St. Catharines Ontario
Liberal
Walt Lastewka LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Industry indicated at that time he would look into the matter for the member for Nanaimo—Alberni. I am pleased to inform the member that Canadian jobs are not being exported and the Department of National Defence, the owner of the technology, has no intention of selling it. The country in question, Australia, was inspecting a shipbuilding site in B.C. and reviewing the DND technology. Hopefully the review will lead to Canadian contracts. The accusations were totally false.
I congratulate the member for Nanaimo—Alberni for the good work the company in question has done. I hope we can work with them to support possible future contracts for our technology and for our country.
AgricultureOral Question Period
2:50 p.m.
Reform
Roy H. Bailey Reform Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
In touring the southeastern portion of my constituency, one will find 50% of the cultivated land under water and another 25% of the land that was prepared for this year's seeding too saturated. The total area is greater than the entire acreage of Prince Edward Island.
Will the minister tour this area and meet with the farmers and the local governments that are facing a huge financial crisis?
AgricultureOral Question Period
2:50 p.m.
Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario
Liberal
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the unfortunate situation for a number of farmers in that area, an area of the country that is usually very dry at this time of year. I have had discussions as have my officials with the officials of both the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. We are suggesting the first thing farmers need to do is participate in the crop insurance program to the fullest extent they possibly can. We will look at ways in which we can use AIDA to assist them as well.
National DefenceOral Question Period
2:50 p.m.
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.
There are apparently plans for an enhanced leadership and initial development model program for officers that would provide common training for all Canadian forces officers in the future.
Can the Minister of National Defence tell us whether such a program is indeed in the works and whether the government is getting ready not to renew the lease with the Fort Saint-Jean campus in order to resume full possession of the royal military college facilities in Saint-Jean?
National DefenceOral Question Period
2:50 p.m.
York Centre Ontario
Liberal
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we are developing an enhanced leadership model program because we want to make sure that the Canadian forces of the future have the most effective leadership possible. We want to make sure that ethics and Canadian values and all of the things that are important for Canadians to have in military leadership are part of the development of our future leaders.
As it turns out, one of the facilities that is being looked at is the facility in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. We have made no decision with respect to the final aspects of the program or to the facility that it will be operating.
Natural ResourcesOral Question Period
2:50 p.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Speaker, in advertising on natural gas in this month's Atlantic Progress , the Minister of Natural Resources said, and I quote:
The many investments will mean a good job for the people in the Atlantic provinces, and especially for young people, without having to leave their region.
Will the Minister of Natural Resources include the northeast in the construction of the pipeline in New Brunswick and the environment as well, yes or no?
Natural ResourcesOral 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, the development of oil and gas resources off our east coast is a very welcome phenomenon that I think all Canadians celebrate as we see these new resources coming onstream. They provide many new business and job opportunities for Atlantic Canadians.
In terms of the construction of lateral pipelines, that is something that needs to be conducted on a commercial basis. Where the market exists for the gas to service a particular region or a particular commercial enterprise, then obviously the laterals will be constructed on a businesslike basis.
AgricultureOral Question Period
2:50 p.m.
Progressive Conservative
Rick Borotsik Progressive Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food for taking a proactive approach with respect to the natural disaster that is taking place in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
I would like to ask the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food for those people who will not be able to comply with crop insurance, what contingency plan is in place now? What message can we send to those people who will not put a crop in this year?
AgricultureOral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario
Liberal
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, before I answer the question, I referred a minute ago to the fact that I have had discussions with Alberta and Saskatchewan. I erred. It is Saskatchewan and Manitoba that are having the problems with wet conditions.
I did have a very good discussion at the end of last week with the minister in the province of Manitoba. As I said last week and again just a minute ago, if crop insurance does not do all that it possibly can for the producers, then we are looking at ways in which we can maybe use the agriculture income disaster assistance program to be of assistance in this situation as well.
Trade And TourismOral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Liberal
Carmen Provenzano Liberal Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue recently met with U.S. cabinet officials and senators to discuss removing barriers to trade and tourism. Will the minister inform the House as to the results of his efforts to expedite the movement of goods and services across our border?
Trade And TourismOral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Vancouver South—Burnaby B.C.
Liberal
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to report to the House that two weeks ago I went to Washington and had the opportunity to meet administrative officials and also talk to the business industry about how we can move the shared border accord forward.
By looking at a new vision for the border, we have decided to get our officials together to see how we can expedite the movement of goods and people across our borders and move the shared border accord, which the President and the Prime Minister signed a few years ago. We have an excellent working relationship and we are certainly going to move this agenda forward.
I want to thank the hon. member for his support on this issue.
AgricultureOral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Reform
Roy H. Bailey Reform Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Mr. Speaker, I have another question for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
A Saskatchewan Liberal senator has described this Liberal government's AIDA package as nothing but a disgrace as far as western Canada is concerned.
At this time, would the minister not come out west to see this area and then make the declaration that this is a disaster area and that the funds that go to support the farmers and the local governments for the collateral damage be two separate packages? Will he make that commitment now?
AgricultureOral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario
Liberal
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, as I commented in the House last week, the manner in which the senator from the other place refers to Saskatchewan farmers is the one way he may want to describe them. I do not. I respect Saskatchewan farmers.
As I said, we will use all the programs we have available at this time to come to the aid of the producers in the unfortunate situation they are in. We will continue to work with them. We will continue to work with my provincial counterparts to work through this unfortunate situation.
Money LaunderingOral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Bloc
Richard Marceau Bloc Charlesbourg, QC
Mr. Speaker, last week, I asked the solicitor general whether he supported my bill to withdraw $1,000 bills from circulation in the fight against money laundering. By way of response, I got procedural ramblings from the government leader.
We now know that the government will table its own bill to intensify its fight against money laundering.
My question is very simple: Will the bill include the withdrawal of the $1,000 bill? If not, why not? I hope this time the answer will be more intelligent.
Money LaunderingOral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario
Liberal
Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, to comment on the intelligence of the question, we should look and see whether a member or a minister can comment on a bill that has yet to be tabled in the House.
The member may speak of procedural ramblings all he likes, but I think it is time that he learned a few things.
Pay EquityOral Question Period
2:55 p.m.
NDP
Bev Desjarlais NDP Churchill, MB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice.
Today public servants began a vigil on the steps of the Supreme Court of Canada. Their vigil is for pay equity.
The Liberal government has perverted the Canadian justice system. It has no case against pay equity. It is using the appeal process as a stalling tactic. The whole mess is a waste of taxpayers' money and a travesty of justice. The only people who win are the lawyers.
I want to ask the Minister of Justice, as a lawyer and as a woman, does she agree with the Liberal government's policy of using the courts as a weapon to evade the law and deny equality to Canadians?