Debates of June 3rd, 1999

Housing

[Alfonso Gagliano, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Labour will be present at the conference of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Halifax. The minister has been travelling across the country and will be travelling all summer listening to Canadians so that we can have the right program.

In the meantime, I would like to remind the member that the government put $300 million into the RRAP program which addresses the homeless. We have also created units for the homeless. Maybe she should speak to the Government of British Columbia which does not participate in the RRAP program.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, first, I hope that the minister of homelessness shows up because so far all she has done is cancel meetings.

Second, a RRAP program does not assist people who are homeless or destitute on the street.

What we want to know is where are the dollars, where is the plan and where are the proposals and strategies from the federal government to get back into the housing program and work with the provinces and municipalities?

I have to remind the minister that B.C. is only one of two provinces still providing social housing, whereas his government does not.

[Alfonso Gagliano, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, I will repeat that the minister is in attendance there and is definitely working. We expect to receive a report from all the mayors of Canada so that we can work together.

I have said many times in the House that homelessness is not just a federal problem. It is a federal, provincial and municipal problem and we have to work together. The minister responsible for homelessness is talking to the mayors right now to come up with the right program. The member should wait for the report.

Foreign Affairs

[Bill Matthews, Progressive Conservative, Burin—St. George's, NL]

Mr. Speaker, now that it has been confirmed that a deal has been struck between Canada and the United States to divide the west coast salmon, I would like to ask the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans or the Minister of Foreign Affairs if they can inform the House if this deal will protect the future of coastal communities in British Columbia, and whether or not priority will be given to Canadian fishermen to access Pacific salmon?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, let me first correct one major word. The deal does not divide the communities, it brings the communities together. This has been a deal of mutual benefit on both sides of the border to conserve the fish stock, to provide direct investment to preserve the fish stock and to make sure that the communities themselves have a system or a formula in place that will provide stability over the next 10 years.

This is exactly what we have been working for, to give the fishermen on the west coast, from both sides of the borders, a sense that they have a future.

[Bill Matthews, Progressive Conservative, Burin—St. George's, NL]

Mr. Speaker, let me ask the minister: Will the new deal move fish to Canada and protect and rebuild salmon stocks? Is there a conservation fund in the agreement?

If there is a conservation fund in the agreement, will there be conservation guidelines established as suggested by the auditor general in his recent report? Could the minister also indicate what those conservation guidelines might be?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans will be giving a very detailed briefing on the west coast in about an hour and a half from now. I can indicate to the hon. member that it does include a conservation fund and there will be proper guidelines established. It is a very comprehensive composite agreement that brings together all of the elements that have been on the table for the last four or five years.

Human Resources Development

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in times of need Canadians expect their government to be there for them. When someone loses their job the last thing they need is a thoughtless, faceless bureaucracy armed with confusing rules and jargon. They need personal, sensitive and understandable assistance.

Does the Minister of Human Resources Development share these sentiments, and if so, what steps are being taken to ensure quality service for all Canadians in need?

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

Mr. Speaker, I had a town hall session last month with officials from across Canada to discuss how we could go further in terms of ensuring that Canadians get the very best service possible in terms of our social programs, and that people are treated with respect, compassion and caring when they come to us for help.

We are now working on a number of fronts, including: trying to do more to ensure our clients understand the rules and regulations behind various programs so they know their rights; trying to help individuals deal with hardship cases; trying to ensure that if someone owes us money, their repayment—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Kootenay—Columbia.

The Rcmp

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is not a mistake that there is a problem in British Columbia with organized crime, biker gangs and drugs. It is these Liberals who cancelled the harbour police. It is these Liberals who have created a situation where we are short 256 RCMP officers.

In spite of the fact that there are 96 recruits presently in the RCMP training detachment in Regina, not one is scheduled to come to British Columbia. Why?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, this happens to be an internal matter of the RCMP. My hon. colleague is well aware that there is a resource review underway. This will ensure that the resources used by the RCMP are used adequately and that all the funding possible that can be put toward organized crime is put toward organized crime. I am sure my hon. colleague would want tax dollars to be spent as wisely as possible.

Rail Transportation

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

Mr. Speaker, in a few days from now, the Quebec Central train will resume operations with the support of local socioeconomic stakeholders and financial support from the Government of Quebec.

Despite the personal commitment of the Liberal member for Beauce, who would have risked his seat, the federal government continues to refuse to become financially involved in the project.

How does the secretary of state for regional development explain his refusal when the mandate of his department is in fact to promote the economic development of regions, including Beauce and L'Amiante?

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Beauce, who has done a remarkable job in this area and who, unlike the members of the Bloc Quebecois, has consistently followed the matter.

Last week a meeting was held for all the community stakeholders on the Quebec Central matter. The member for Beauce was in attendance and reported to me.

I would also say to the Bloc Quebecois members that we have never refused to get involved in this matter. In essence, what we said at the start was that there were no firm railway contracts and the involvement of the Canadian government was much too great.

However, if the matter has been reworked, as it seems to have been, we will look at it seriously, because it is a matter of—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Regina—Lumsden—Lake Center.

Prime Minister

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said that he sold his golf club shares to a Mr. Jonas Prince in 1993. However, Mr. Prince denies ownership of the shares and so does the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister's lawyer is arranging the sale of these shares which may have increased in value after millions of public dollars have been spent near the Grand-Mère Golf Club. Canadians want to get to the bottom of this.

Will the Prime Minister table share transaction agreements and relevant correspondence that prove categorically that he did not own these shares at the time the transactions with Mr. Gauthier were underway.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I do not have any shares. I sold them.

Magazine Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, ever since the government decided to sacrifice Canada's magazine industry to appease the Americans, we have been trying to get details on the proposed subsidy the government has said it will use to compensate those magazines most affected.

Can the Minister of Finance tell Canadians how much the subsidy will cost? If he cannot, how can the government responsibly enter into an agreement?

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the discussions about the adjustment package are ongoing. Once they are concluded and a report is presented by the minister to cabinet, the members opposite will be apprised of the contents of that package.

Transportation

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

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

There are some European countries that are world leaders in the integration of different modes of transportation, like railways to air links. I would like to know what the Minister of Transport is doing to encourage Canada's integration of our different modes of transportation.

[Stan Dromisky, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, a very delicate and serious problem is the congestion we have at most of our major airports, especially at Vancouver, Pearson and Dorval. However, we instituted a study in May 1999 regarding Pearson airport. Now we are examining the possibility of carrying out such a study with the airport at Dorval. We hope that as far as all three airports are concerned we will be making progress in these areas.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. I have notice of two questions of privilege and then we will go to the Thursday question. The first question of privilege I want to hear is from the hon. member for Medicine Hat.

Privilege

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my question of privilege arises from a newspaper article in the Toronto Star today. In that newspaper article we find a quote from the member for Vaudreuil—Soulanges who is the chair of the finance committee's subcommittee on family income and the tax system.

In that article the chair of the subcommittee comments on the results of a report which is yet to be released to the finance committee. I believe that is a direct violation of the rules. I believe that my ability to do my job as a member of parliament has been impeded by this.

I want to quote from the article. The member for Vaudreuil—Soulanges said:

We have done that analysis and I think the general conclusion is that the tax system does not discriminate between single- and dual-income earner families because you have children—

If there is any appearance of discrimination in the tax system, it is based on two principles (taxing individuals and progressivity).

My point is simply that we have a process whereby the reports from these subcommittees are to go to the committee that they are attached to. In this case it has gone directly to the media without people like me on the finance committee having had a chance to see it ahead of time.

I believe my privilege has been violated.

[The Speaker]

I am not cutting the member off. He has a serious point. However, the hon. member for Vaudreuil—Soulanges is not here with us today. I do not think that the hon. member for Medicine Hat said that this statement was ever made in the House. Is that correct?

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

That is correct.