Debates of Oct. 16th, 2000

International Development

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, ten years ago Canada made a commitment to the UN to increase its international aid budget to 0.7% of its GDP.

Many countries have met this objective. Canada, however, has cut its budget, which was barely one-third of the objective it agreed to in 1990.

My question is for the Minister of Finance. Given that 70% of those living in poverty on this planet are women, does the government intend to respond to the demand of the 2000 World March of Women and substantially increase its international aid budget?

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Minister for International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, in the last budget the government increased considerably the budget for CIDA both in terms of the baseline as well as increases for the next two years.

There were $175 million put aside for the highly indebted poor nations as well. In addition I have just announced a redirection of moneys within the department for a total over five years of $2.8 billion to assist in specific areas of poverty in countries to focus the programs more. We are doing a great job in the department. The government has in fact increased the budget.

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, these are fine words, and sound much like what the Minister of Finance said at the IMF meeting on September 25.

But bilaterally, all the Minister of Finance managed to do was write off $600,000 owed by Bangladesh.

On the occasion of the World March of Women, what is the Minister of Finance waiting for to follow up on the general statements he made in Prague with respect to debt relief for poor nations?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I am very glad that the member, on behalf of all Canadians, has raised this issue.

Canada went one step further. Canada suggested that all bilateral debts of heavily indebted nations should be forgiven. It was Canada that was a step ahead of the others. Canada showed leadership and will continue to do so.

Report Of Information Commissioner

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in the information commissioner's annual report there is a section called “All Talk—No Action”. The report says the government's palpable animosity toward the “right of access” is no more apparent than in the disconnect between talk and action in the matter of reform of the Access to Information Act. It would prefer to dole out information by grace and favour in well digested mouthfuls.

How can the government say it is committed to openness when the information commissioner has so thoroughly condemned the actions of the government?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that the information commissioner did not point out in his report that the President of the Treasury Board and I announced a review of both the administration of existing legislation and a review of the substance of existing legislation in August.

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the information commissioner has even provided some very telling examples. “An agent of the attorney general took the unprecedented position of impugning the constitutionality of the very legislation which the attorney general has the duty to defend”.

How can the government defend its action when the information commissioner has so thoroughly condemned what the government does every day?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, in fact the hon. member knows full well that what he is presenting in those comments is a biased and unbalanced perspective on the information commissioner's report.

As I have said, unfortunately the information commissioner does not inform Canadians that the President of the Treasury Board and I on behalf of the government have commenced a full review of the access to information legislation.

Social Housing

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, one of the key demands being made by the World March of Women concerns social housing.

Does the Minister of Finance plan to comply with the women's urgings that he immediately increase the overall budget share allocated to social housing? This is something I have already called for in the past, moreover.

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

Mr. Speaker, first of all, we are negotiating with Quebec on the transfer of social housing, as we have with most of the provinces and territories of Canada.

Not long ago, we met in New Brunswick with all of Canada's housing ministers and agreed on a working plan. I am certain that we will be able to come up with some concrete results within a few months.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, social housing needs have nearly doubled in the past decade.

The problem is even more acute with women, because one in two tenant households has a woman as the main wage-earner.

I am calling upon the Minister of Finance to invest massively in the construction of new social housing units, which are very much needed, and to conclude as promptly as possible an agreement with Quebec providing it with its fair share of funding.

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

Mr. Speaker, I believe that our present negotiations with Quebec are good ones.

If there has been a delay, the hon. member ought to be aware that there was a change at the head of the Société de l'habitation du Québec this summer. We therefore had to wait until the new person was in place, and have just resumed negotiations. As far as this part of her question is concerned, therefore, I believe she should inquire at the head office.

As far as the construction of affordable housing is concerned, as I just said, we are working in conjunction with all of the housing ministers across Canada to reach an equitable solution, because this is a problem that concerns all governments—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast.

Canadian Heritage

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Will the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell the House what is the protocol for the renaming of mountains or established geological sites in Canada?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the protocol is that there is a recommendation made to the Geographical Naming Board by both the Government of Canada and the government of Yukon, and the Geographical Naming Board has the ultimate decision.

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

Mr. Speaker, in a Maclean's magazine article of July 1, 1998, a panel of 27 Canadian historians named Sir William Logan as sixth among the most important Canadians in history, well ahead of any former prime minister.

Why would the government want to show such disrespect for this outstanding and distinguished Canadian by removing his name from Mount Logan?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, there is absolutely no intention to disrespect anyone.

World March Of Women

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the context of the world march of women, groups of women have joined together to ask for the equivalent of $2 per woman and girl as funding for their organizations.

The government, which is floating in billions of dollars in surpluses, has reached the hour of decision.

Will the Minister of Finance agree to give these women the basic funding they are asking for in support of their action?

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism)(Status of Women)]

Mr. Speaker, in the last budget $20.5 million over five years was put into the Status of Women Canada budget to deal with the issue.

The Economy

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

Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of speculation concerning the state of the Canadian economy and the strength of its growth. In fact there has been a lot of speculation that the Minister of Finance may actually be preparing a statement on the economic status of the country. We wonder when the Minister of Finance might deliver that to the House.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of announcing to this House that the economic statement, the budget update, will be presented here on Wednesday, October 18, following oral question period.

Taxation

[Jason Kenney, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is pretty easy to get a standing ovation around here. All they have to do is send out a press release in question period like that.

I am looking forward to the financial statement from the Minister of Finance because I would like to know whether he will deliver on the much demanded gas tax relief that Canadians are looking for, or will he simply hand pick a small number of Canadians to send out a one time election cheque to? Does he really think Canadians are that gullible? Does he think that Canadians do not want real broad based gas tax relief?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member might well ask that question of the government of Ontario, the government of Alberta or any other provincial government, governments which have had to deal with the particular issue.

I must say I am delighted the hon. member is looking forward to the statement on Wednesday. I think Canadians as well are looking forward to that statement.

[Jason Kenney, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians can look forward to this week and next week is record high gas prices at the pump and a record high federal government tax take from their wallets, to the point where independent truckers are on the verge of losing their businesses. After all the hot air from the government about gas tax relief we are still seeing no relief.

Will the minister send out election goodie cheques, or will he deliver real tax relief to the people who need it now and are struggling to pay gas tax bills?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, one must really wonder about the capacity of the hon. member day after day to put up crocodile tears.

He says that he is worried about working class Canadians, low income Canadians, moderate income Canadians, when in fact the centrepiece of his party's tax plan is still a flat tax that would essentially give millionaires $130,000 in tax relief and virtually nothing to the middle class.