Debates of May 4th, 1999

Aboriginal Affairs

[The Speaker]

Order, please. We want to both hear the question and the answer. I would ask members to listen to the answer.

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Windsor West, ON]

Having said that, I reiterate that the signature of the Nisga'a treaty today is simply the first step toward having the treaty fully considered through the democratic process of the Parliament of Canada.

[Mike Scott, Reform, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, let us look at some of the constitutional changes the government is trying to bring through the back door with the Nisga'a treaty: taxation without representation, race based government, regulation of trade by race, and entrenched inequality for aboriginal women.

Why has the government abandoned the cherished Canadian value of equality?

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

Mr. Speaker, the opposition should be embarrassed by these questions.

Since 1989 when that party has had a representation in the House, there have been no less than four and now five treaties presented for consideration. In every case there was a signed treaty delivered to parliament to debate fully and to decide whether to accept or reject.

They belittle the parliamentary process by asking such inane questions.

[Mike Scott, Reform, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, eight short months ago the House had the privilege of an address by Nelson Mandela. Mr. Mandela spent his entire life fighting against legislated segregation. He spent 27 years in jail fighting against legislated segregation.

Why has the government abandoned the cherished Canadian value of equality of all Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, members of the Reform Party continue to show their lack of credibility on the issue of treaty writing in Canada.

First and foremost, they do not understand our Constitution, our Constitution that protects aboriginal rights in the country.

Second, I must point out again that the hon. member for Skeena has yet to go and discuss the Nisga'a treaty with the Nisga'a themselves.

In addition, I point out that the city of Terrace where the hon. member lives has proclaimed the week of April 25 as Nisga'a appreciation week.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the creation of Nunavut provides an opportunity to settle an old dispute between Quebec and the federal government as to who has jurisdiction over the James Bay and Hudson Bay offshore islands.

Since these islands are used by Quebec's Cree and Inuit for traditional hunting and fishing, will the Prime Minister admit that it is only common sense that these islands over 1,000 kilometers from Nunavut belong to Quebec?

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

Mr. Speaker, in settling land claims we ensure that the rights of other interests will be considered and overlap issues will be undertaken to be negotiated.

In this case the Cree have taken us to court as of February and there are issues that obviously I will not discuss.

I would say, however, that we have had scoping out discussions with the Cree. We are keeping the province of Quebec informed and we will work together to resolve these issues.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, four times since 1974, federal Indian affairs ministers have said the same thing, recognizing the validity of Cree and Inuit arguments.

Could the federal government not show some real common sense and grant the request of the Government of Quebec, which is also the request of the Cree and Inuit living in Quebec?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have already indicated, we are doing that. We have had scoping out discussions. In fact, it was on March 29 that we talked with the Cree to scope out the issues around their concerns.

As I said, we will continue to include the province of Quebec and we will find a reconciliation to this issue.

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's Minister of Natural Resources wrote a letter to the federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development on March 30 reminding her that, for more than a century, Quebec's governments have been saying that Quebec's territory should include the islands, waters and ocean floors adjacent to its coastline.

Does the minister intend to reply in the near future to the letter from Minister Brassard so that negotiations to sort out this problem that has already gone on for far too long can finally begin?

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

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Robert Bourassa also raised the matter of these islands in 1993. Senator Lise Bacon, who was a Liberal minister in Quebec City at the time, said that the only reasonable, effective and economical way to administer these islands was from Quebec.

Does the minister agree with this statement?

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

Mr. Speaker, I share the view that we should complete our scoping out exercise. We have begun that with the Cree and we will include the province of Quebec in those undertakings.

Rail Safety

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

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

The minister will be as aware as all of us of the tragic accident a week or two ago where two VIA crew members were killed as a result of a derailment when a passenger train went through an open switch.

We found out after the accident that there exists sections within the Canadian rail system where there are so-called dark zones, where there is not the appropriate technological control.

Could the minister commit to the House today that he and his department will be making sure that this kind of situation exists for only a very short time hereafter and that he will do something about it?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I said at the time, I know I speak on behalf of all members of the House in extending condolences to the families of the victims who were injured and killed in that particular accident. The TSB will be investigating this matter rather thoroughly and will determine the causes of the accident.

We had a Transport Canada inspector on site who determined that a threat does exist. As a result we have issued a notice to Canadian National Railways to have it deal with that threat within 10 days.

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, we are dealing with something after the fact. I want to raise another matter with the minister and he has a chance to deal with it before the fact.

The United Transportation Union and others are concerned with the way that marshalling requirements are being handled by the railway. We have cases where crews are going out with trains that have more cars than are on the records that they have, which means that they can make mistakes with respect to sidings, with respect to what is on the train in terms of hazardous materials, and so on.

I know the rail safety directorate has been contacted about this matter. Could the minister make a commitment to look into it himself and make sure that something is done about it before we have to raise it after an accident?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, this matter has been raised at the transport committee by the hon. member. I have discussed it with members of the various unions involved. Certainly it is something that we take very seriously because safety is Transport Canada's top priority.

I certainly will undertake to investigate more fully the problems with marshalling yards to ensure that rail safety meets the very high standard that Canadians expect.

Premier Of Ontario

[Scott Brison, Progressive Conservative, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Ontario budget will be delivered later today. Over the past four years the Premier of Ontario has reduced taxes significantly. He has increased provincial spending on health care and education. He has reduced the provincial deficit well ahead of schedule and he has created nearly half a million jobs.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. The hon. member for Kings—Hants.

[Scott Brison, Progressive Conservative, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, we seem to have the attention of members opposite. Perhaps they can start acting on tax cuts like Mike Harris has done.

Would the industry minister rather have Mike Harris as a boss, somebody who believes in lower taxes, instead of a Prime Minister who does not believe that lower taxes will benefit the Canadian economy?

[The Speaker]

I am not sure that relates to administrative responsibility. I see the minister on his feet. I will permit him to answer it.

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Perhaps not, Mr. Speaker, but I am delighted to have an opportunity to respond to that question. After all, after the nine years of deficits piled up by the party that member represents, we brought them to zero. It enabled us to make tax cuts. That is the difference between us.

What is happening in Ontario? Mike Harris promises tax cuts. Where does he get the money? He borrows it.

[Scott Brison, Progressive Conservative, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, we have an industry minister who one week says cut taxes, a Prime Minister who says we really do not need to cut taxes and a finance minister who says maybe we should, maybe we should not but we should not do it right now or too quickly.

Perhaps the industry minister who believes in cutting taxes should run for the government of Mike Harris in the next election. That way he could sit around a cabinet table and work with a group of people who are committed to cutting taxes and creating economic growth.

Is the real reason we do not have tax cuts in Canada—