Debates of May 7th, 1999

Aboriginal Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister of Indian affairs. I would like the minister to listen closely to the following quote:

We are the true owners of British Columbia. The Indians across the province own everything—the rivers, the trees, the bugs, the animals, you name it. Subsurface rights, the air, the rain, the whole shot. That's what we mean when we say we have aboriginal title to the land.

Does the minister agree with the interpretation by the Nisga'a tribal council chairman, Joe Gosnell, of aboriginal title?

[David Iftody, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to read the member a quote from this morning's front page of a British Columbia newspaper. It states:

Reform's enthusiastic hostility to the deal is well known. This week we caught a glimpse of just how low they'll stoop when the Liberals bring the treaty to the House of Commons this fall.

One after the other, Reformers disgraced themselves with a range of questions that displayed everything from wilful distortion to extreme paranoia.

The article goes on to state:

And this is a party whose leader has designs on broadening it into the mainstream alternative for government?

As Charlie Brown would say, good grief, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, we are proud that we stand up for British Columbians and we are proud that we stand up for all Canadians. We believe in equality.

I want to read the quote to the parliamentary secretary again:

We are the true owners of British Columbia. The Indians across the province own everything—the rivers, the trees, the bugs, the animals, you name it. Subsurface rights, the air, the rain, the whole shot. That's what we mean when we say we have aboriginal title to the land.

My party and Canadians want to know if that is the government's belief. Is that what aboriginal title is in Canada? Is that what we mean by equality for all Canadians?

[David Iftody, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, I will refer again to the article in this morning's paper. One of Vancouver's leading newspapers has castigated quite thoroughly the members of the Reform Party for misrepresenting the good people and the good views of the people of British Columbia.

This is not true. We have signed a treaty under section 35 within the constitutional framework of this country. It is legitimate, it is valid and we stand behind it.

Summer Career Placement Program

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we were informed by an official from the Human Resources Development Department that almost $400,000 would be diverted from the summer career placement program in order to fund an exchange program with other provinces.

Will the minister confirm this diversion of funds from the summer career placement program?

[Bonnie Brown, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, there is no diversion of funds for this program.

When two ridings exchange students in the summer, a portion of the receiving riding's summer career placement funds are allocated to the students who arrive and take jobs in that riding. At the same, the students who left a riding, went to another one and got jobs, assume the funds in that riding. There is an exchange of money that is fair.

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC]

Mr. Speaker, given the very great number of students from Quebec that wish to take part in this placement program, does the minister not think it would be a better idea to put in new money, rather than divert part of this program's budget?

[Bonnie Brown, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, I think the questioner must be the only person who is against the mobility of students learning about their country and other places.

The exchange program is only part of the summer career placement program. I am glad to tell the House that the amount allocated across the country for that program remains the same as last year, $90 million.

If there is a change in the allocation for a particular riding, it is because the basis of the formula may have changed due, for example, to the number of local students and the local youth unemployment rate.

Justice

[Jay Hill, Reform, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, conditional sentences make a mockery of our already severely tainted legal system.

Dennis Peters of P.E.I. was recently convicted of impaired driving for the fourth time. A previous conviction in 1997 landed him in jail for 35 days. This time he got a 60 day conditional sentence to be served at home. The reason he was sent home instead of to jail is because he is claustrophobic.

My question is for the justice minister. What deterrence is there when a repeat offender like Peters is allowed to go home because he is afraid of his cell?

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

Mr. Speaker, as you probably know, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights is now preparing a report on ways of improving the justice system's handling of impaired driving.

Rather than grandstanding in the House, I would urge the hon. member to come and make a more positive contribution to the preparation of this report.

[Jay Hill, Reform, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want this law changed now. They have spoken very clearly on this. It is not however long it takes the committee to make up its mind.

In order for our justice system to work it must be based on deterrents. Repeat offenders must receive tougher sentences, not more lenient. When Peters repeated his crime for the fourth time he was told, “you'd better not do that again”, and he was sent home.

Chronic drunk driving is a serious crime and it should warrant serious time. Does this guy have to kill before he is sent to jail?

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as my hon. colleague said, the committee is in the process right now of preparing its report. In fact we have finished preparing our report.

I also want to address the issue of conditional sentencing which has been brought up by the hon. member a number of times in the House. At the request of the minister, the committee will be studying conditional sentencing. There are a number of decisions in which we have to review the intention of parliament in terms of conditional sentencing. I ask the hon. member to assist us in the process. I ask his colleagues who sit on the committee not to bring forth other frivolous motions so we can get on with conditional sentencing.

Kosovo

[René Laurin, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Yesterday, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs adopted general principles which ought to lead to a political solution to the Kosovo crisis.

Since these general principles must become a UN security council resolution, what approach does Canada plan to use in order to get China not to use its veto against implementation of these principles?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as hon. members are aware, the Prime Minister spoke recently with the Premier of China about a progressive initiative in the security council. Yesterday, we decided to approach the Chinese concerning the proposals contained in our agreement with the Russians.

I believe that there is now a commitment for real consultation with the Chinese in order to ensure that there is agreement in the security council, once we have details on the proposal.

[René Laurin, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it would be most desirable for this agreement between the G-8 countries to be accepted not only by the Security Council of the United Nations, but also by the government in Belgrade. Does Canada consider the principles of this agreement to be negotiable or is it prepared to impose them without the agreement of President Milosevic?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as we announced yesterday in the agreement, we will be pursuing an article 7 resolution at the security council. An article 7 resolution is an authoritative mandatory requirement that applies to all UN members. Through that, we believe we will be in a position to have an effective engagement with the Belgrade regime.

In the meantime, there will be ongoing discussions. The Russians will clearly continue to carry out their own dialogue and communications. The secretary general will establish an envoy system. I think there will be full opportunity for Belgrade to respond we hope in a positive way so we can bring this conflict to a resolution.

Agriculture

[Howard Hilstrom, Reform, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister of agriculture promised farmers bankable assistance in December. It is now May and, while application forms have gone out, not one cheque has been cashed.

In our minority report we identified $500 million in farm input taxes, costs and user fees which could be eliminated today without waiting for any application form.

The premier of Ontario has heeded that advice. He has cut sales tax to farmers because he knows lower input costs help farmers now not later. When will the federal government follow suit?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is unbelievable the lack of knowledge the hon. member has and his inability to look at information when it is available to him.

He just stated that not one cheque has been cashed. Over 5,000 applications have come in from across Canada and nearly 2,500 cheques have been sent out. My guess is that they have been cashed because we know the farmers need the money.

If the member would take his energy in opposing the AIDA program and use it to encourage producers to send in their applications maybe more of the 25,000 applications would be sent in so that we could deal with them. We are sending out cheques.

[Howard Hilstrom, Reform, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the farmers, the bankers and the credit unions are telling us that this program is virtually useless for a lot of farmers.

The minister of agriculture's officials have indicated that even farmers who qualify for this emergency package will only receive 40% of their entitlement now. It will be fall before those few who do qualify for assistance will receive their full entitlement.

Are his officials, who said this, wrong? Will farmers really have to wait until the fall to get help from the government?

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

Mr. Speaker, the very final clean-up cheque, if I can refer to it in that way, will be later in the summer, I agree.

The provincial portion and the very large federal portion of the contribution will go out to farmers as the forms come in and as the calculations are dealt with. Those cheques have been flowing and will continue to flow. There will also be interim flows as they are dealt with throughout the summer.

Transportation Of Dangerous Waste

[Jocelyne Girard-Bujold, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week, in response to a question I put to him, the Minister of Transport said, and I quote “Canada has perhaps one of the safest regimes for the transportation of dangerous goods of any country in the world”.

The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development said recently that the federal government was neglecting border transport of dangerous waste.

My question is for the Minister of the Environment. How does she plan to respond to the environment commissioner's allegations, in the light of the complacent remarks by the Minister of Transport?

[Christine Stewart, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, my department works very closely with provinces and other jurisdictions internationally to make sure that all of the articles of the Basel convention are upheld within this country and around the world.

My department has a protocol that is rigorously carried out, making sure that we are notified of all transports of hazardous waste and all manifests are inspected before those wastes are allowed to travel within this country.

The Environment

[Joe Jordan, Liberal, Leeds—Grenville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, anyone who looks at the issue will know that community groups can achieve impressive positive environmental results when provided with leadership and encouragement from the Government of Canada.

Can the Minister of the Environment tell us what she is doing to encourage the participation of environmental work at the critical community level?

[Christine Stewart, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, as Minister of the Environment with very skilled staff in my department, we take action every day to improve the environment for Canadians. We work to improve air, water and all nature issues.

I am very pleased today to announce our first tranche of projects approved in this country where we will assist people at the grassroots to improve air, water and climate change, nature issues. One hundred and sixteen community groups across Canada will receive—

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for Dewdney—Alouette.