Debates of June 11th, 1999

Access To Information

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, the premise of the question is absolutely wrong. The government respects the laws of this land concerning access to information. All documents have been released in compliance with access to information guidelines, which of course protect commercial confidences and the privacy of third parties. That is what the law says and we respect it.

Auditor General

[Jim Jones, Progressive Conservative, Markham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today will likely be the last day the House sits and we are still no closer to the truth on Shawinigate. Yesterday the Prime Minister refused to admit that he has the power under section 11 of the Auditor General Act to independently investigate specific projects. The Prime Minister claims he is innocent but offers no independent corroborating evidence.

Why will the government not take politics out of this affair and use section 11 of the Auditor General Act to get to the bottom of these projects?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are taking politics out of this matter by leaving the role of the auditor general to the auditor general himself, to exercise his independent authority in the way he sees fit. The Canadian people and this House are rejecting the call of the Conservative Party for political interference in the matter involving the role of the auditor general. I think that is quite appropriate.

The hon. member should bear in mind that the comments he has made about innocence are totally contrary to the premises of Canadian and British justice which say that he who asserts must prove. There are no charges that demand a response from the Prime Minister with respect to innocence.

He has acted with the utmost integrity. He has answered every question clearly, carefully and fully. The ethics commissioner has appeared before the parliamentary committee and confirmed that the Prime Minister acted in a perfectly proper manner.

Kosovo

[Sarmite Bulte, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Cooperation.

All Canadians are gratified that a peace agreement has been reached in Kosovo. However, there are still hundreds of thousands of refugees in neighbouring countries and still more actually inside Kosovo. Many homes and villages have been destroyed and crops have not been planted for next season.

Will the minister tell the House how Canada will be assisting the Kosovars to return to their homes?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister for International Cooperation and Minister responsible for Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, much needs to be done.

The internally displaced people must have access to supplies and medical attention as they have received nothing so far. The externally displaced, the refugees, need organizational support to return. They all need help to get ready for next winter.

To meet this challenge, I have allocated $5 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from the original moneys earmarked for Kosovo.

Divorce Act

[Paul Forseth, Reform, New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Justice mailed a rather incredibly insulting document flogging the government's strategy on child custody in the Divorce Act and urging MPs to use it in their summer householders.

It said the best interests of children must be the highest priority, but nowhere is there mention that the minister will delay this so-called high priority well into the next millennium. That is the real story.

Why is the minister willing to wait three more years? Why is she willing to let thousands of children suffer in needless custody disputes? The joint committee gave the plan. Where is the legislation?

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

Mr. Speaker, custody and access are very complex and difficult questions which require complex solutions.

The report by two Queen's University law professors emphasizes how difficult, complex and challenging the issue is. We want to take the time to do it right, not to do it quickly, as the Reform Party is suggesting.

Anti-Gang Legislation

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for several months now, the Bloc Quebecois has been working to strengthen the anti-gang legislation and make it more effective. This is a good thing too, because the police in Quebec is concerned about new biker wars.

My question is a very simple one. Can the minister tell us whether the government is prepared to work with us and, more importantly, whether the Bloc Quebecois can count on the government's support in introducing more effective and enforceable anti-gang legislation that would take effect before the end of the year?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question.

I will simply remind the House that the present government, under the former justice minister, passed anti-gang legislation in 1997. This legislation was greeted warmly by the legal community. If any amendments to this legislation are necessary, the minister and this government would be very pleased to examine suggestions from the Bloc Quebecois or from members from other parties in the House.

We are anxious to improve the legislation we ourselves introduced, precisely in order to do something about this serious problem in our society.

Violence Against Women

[Louise Hardy, NDP, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, women in the country are facing increasing violence. There is the case of a woman whose children were kidnapped, smuggled into the country and stay here on a minister's permit.

Women are killed. They are abducted from their workplace. Now they are even killed in women's shelters. Women are most likely to be murdered when they try to leave a marriage.

Will the minister responsible make sure women's shelters are secure? Will the minister responsible make sure that the kidnapped children go back to their mother? Will the minister also make sure that a murderer cannot use the defence of provocation to excuse murder?

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

Mr. Speaker, violence against women is a very serious matter. The government has in fact taken measures.

Obviously the problem has not yet been alleviated. We will continue to make progress on the government side of the House through our gun control legislation and through measures by the minister responsible for the status of women.

Violence against women is unacceptable and has zero tolerance in terms of our society. We will continue working with all departments of the government to ensure that this type of scenario does not continue.

Canadian Coast Guard

[Mark Muise, Progressive Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, I asked the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans whether the Canadian Coast Guard was considering removing Yarmouth's emergency helicopter service as a means of cutting costs. The response suggested that the department was indeed concerned with the safety of our fishers.

Will the minister demonstrate this concern by agreeing here and now to keeping the emergency helicopter service fully staffed and operational in Yarmouth?

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, with reference to the helicopter, no specific decision has been taken on it. I can assure the hon. member that search and rescue are definitely a priority of the government.

The Canadian Coast Guard has a proud Canadian heritage. We have tried to build on that heritage by making better use of limited resources and ensuring they are more efficient. The bottom line is ensuring safety for boaters and fishers in the country.

We as the Canadian government want to build on the strong Canadian Coast Guard heritage.

Cancer

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are all aware of the devastating effects of cancer, and we all have a relative, friend or colleague who has been affected by this disease. Research has a definitive part to play in beating cancer.

Could the Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development tell us what the government of Canada is doing to encourage research in this area?

[Ronald J. Duhamel, Liberal, Secretary of State (Science]

Mr. Speaker, there are numerous initiatives throughout Canada, in our universities and in our hospitals. However, I would like to particularly mention a partnership agreement signed yesterday between Pasteur-Merieux-Connaught Canada, along with its worldwide network, the private sector, and the National Research Council representing the government.

They are focusing their unique expertise on what I believe is the greatest challenge of our time, namely to beat cancer, breast and prostate cancer in particular.

This initiative shows that Canada has the brains, the expertise and the knowledge to do leading-edge research comparable to what is—

[The Speaker]

I am sorry to interrupt the hon. secretary of state.

Dear colleagues, it is very possible, if not probable, that this will be the last day of sitting.

It gives me a chance, since I missed it the other day, to wish all of you a safe and profitable summer in whatever ways you can make it, but especially in terms of spending some time not only in your ridings but with your loved ones.

I hope we all come back here in good health and well rested for the fall session.

I have notice of a question of privilege which I will hear. However, a member has asked that we shift the rules so that he can present a report from the committee on a pressing matter.

Is there unanimous consent for the member to present the committee report before we go to the question of privilege?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Charles Caccia, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to table in the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canada—Europe Parliamentary Association, which represented Canada at the meetings of the second session of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly from April 26 to 30, 1999 in Strasbourg.

[The Speaker]

I will now deal with the question of privilege and then we will revert to Routine Proceedings.

Privilege

[John Solomon, NDP, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on a question of privilege to invoke your judgement and that of those in the House on a matter which I believe infringes our privileges as members of parliament and threatens our ability to dutifully carry out and fulfil our obligations to represent our constituents.

It has come to our attention that the management of the Senate security circulated a memorandum to the security guards earlier this week featuring the picture of the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle and five other members of the House. The memo includes photographs of the following members: the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle, the member for Sarnia—Lambton, the member for Calgary West; the member for Matapédia—Matane, the member for Charlevoix, and the member for Québec East.

The question is why these members were singled out from all other members. It is true that none of them has offices in Centre Block or East Block or the Senate buildings. However, that is also true for many other members of parliament.

Why then are they being singled out? We can assume that such a memo was not circulated as the lead-up to a beauty pageant. No, I understand that in the realm of security protocol such a memo featuring the photographs of selected individuals serves as a warning to security staff.

It is my contention that these members are being singled out because of their activities this week in a rally that was held on the hill on Tuesday, June 8, 1999, to raise publicly issues surrounding the other place and the modernizing of parliament. These members were involved in this rally and have been involved in other activities surrounding the Senate.

It is a serious matter when certain members are singled out for different treatment because of their activities or beliefs. It is also extremely serious when the security force of the other place, indeed parliament's own security, suggests that certain members of the House should be treated differently for whatever reason.

I submit that the sending of this memo of photographs of certain members to the Senate security is wrong and puts into question the privileges of the members in the memo. Furthermore, I submit that the singling out of these members because of their activities works to undermine the duty and privilege of all members to freely represent their constituents.

If you find that I have a question of privilege, Mr. Speaker, I would be prepared to move the appropriate motion to refer this to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

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

Mr. Speaker, I investigated this issue earlier this morning and received the following explanation for the action. It is that the administration of the Senate wanted to be certain that all members in question would be treated with particular courtesy if they appeared in the precincts of the other place.

It is entirely logical and rational that they would do this since the last member of the House of Commons who regularly voted against the Senate estimates later experienced a remarkable conversion and was himself appointed to the Senate. I am referring to Senator Eugene Whelan.

I take it then that Senate authorities wish to get off on the right foot with future prospective senators such as the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle. I wish him good luck in his appointment to the Senate in the future.

[The Speaker]

We have an allegation and we have an apparent explanation for it. This is not a debate. This is a question of privilege that has been raised and I think both sides of it were presented.

I do not know who issued the particular memo. However, it is the end of the session and I will take it upon myself to look into the matter and, if it is necessary, I will get back to the House of Commons.

In the meantime we will revert to Routine Proceedings.

Sales Tax And Excise Tax Amendments Act, 1999

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, for the Minister of Finance]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-88, an act to amend the Excise Tax Act, a related act, the Cultural Property Export and Import Act, the Customs Act, the Excise Act, the Income Tax Act and the Tax Court of Canada Act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There has been consultation among the parties with respect to a travel order for the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages.

I should explain to members of the House that this consultation took place some days ago. All parties except one agreed to it. My understanding is that the party concerned has also agreed to it. This is not some trick or anything of that sort.

I would ask that you seek unanimous consent for the following motion:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(4)(b), and specifically to the study of part VII of the Official Languages Act, that the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages, six members of the committee and the necessary staff, travel to Moncton, New Brunswick; Summerside, P.E.I.; St. John's, Newfoundland; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Gaspé in the fall of 1999 in order to hold public hearings, visit sites and meet with officials and that the necessary staff do accompany the committee.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Does the hon. parliamentary secretary have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?