Debates of Feb. 22nd, 2000

Human Resources Development

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Human Resources Development.

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member and the hon. member for Edmonton North talk about $12 million that did not result in sustainable jobs.

We are talking about a program of $300 million that leveraged $2.7 billion, that helped create 30,000 jobs for men and women who did not have opportunities in areas where there was no hope. From our point of view, it is the responsibility of the Government of Canada to provide hope, to provide opportunities. In this particular case, we have done that.

Audiovisual Productions

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the heritage minister, who described as gratuitous allegations the revelations by the Bloc Quebecois in the matter of film and television productions, will have to admit she was wrong and face the music.

Now that CINAR itself acknowledges that the Bloc's revelations were founded, should we see operation CINAR as a new tactic by the Liberal Party to protect its friends, as we saw in the Corbeil affair, that is, when they get caught, they acknowledge their error, pay the fine and bury the whole thing?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I said that the member's allegations were important enough that, the very day he made them here in the House, I called for an RCMP investigation, which is continuing.

Foreign Affairs

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

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

Yesterday Beijing issued a statement in which it threatened that it would resort to all possible drastic measures, including war, if Taiwan refused to set a date to start negotiating a return to communist control. In view of the seriousness of this threat, can the Minister of Foreign Affairs advise the House of Canada's response to the escalation of tensions by mainland China?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

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

We have long urged both Beijing and Taipei to settle their differences through negotiation by peaceful means. We believe that in the present circumstances, the resumption of negotiations is absolutely imperative to reduce any threat of destabilization in the area. We will certainly bring this point of view once again to the attention of Chinese authorities.

Human Resources Development

[Peter Goldring, Reform, Edmonton East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the shopping list that the human resources development minister provided yesterday tells us about the government's targets but it says nothing about what actually happened. That is because the government does not know what actually happened. The assistant deputy minister confirmed this yesterday.

Why does the human resources minister care so little about taxpayers' money that she does not bother to track it?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I will take the floor because I want to use the occasion to prove how carefully members of the opposition are looking into this file.

In the case of Hôtel du Boisé in my riding, the project was withdrawn and no money was given to the project. They should do their homework before getting up in the House of Commons.

[Peter Goldring, Reform, Edmonton East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we received 10,000 pages of job creation lists but no tracking information or follow-up details. My question is for the minister. Were these actually job creation lists or where they actually creative job lists?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, they were lists of programs in the ridings of every member of the House. I ask the hon. member to take the time to read his list to see where investments are being made and to understand the people who are being helped.

They go from project to project. They cast aspersions and make politics. What they forget is that these projects are focused on people, on individuals. Very often no one else will help those who are unemployed, who do not have the education or who do not have the diversity of opportunity in their community other than the Government of Canada. We are there to help.

Gasoline Pricing

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

Mr. Speaker, soaring energy prices are badly hurting Canadian truckers, agricultural producers and consumers. When they turn to their government for some action, for some help and even some understanding, what do they get? The industry minister says let the provinces do it. He passes the buck. The junior finance minister says not to blame his fuel taxes. The Prime Minister says there is nothing we can do.

Why is it that the U.S. energy secretary can find 17 things to do to help Americans, but the Prime Minister cannot think of one thing to help Canadians?

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, we should recognize that when the NDP government was in power in Ontario it raised the Ontario excise tax on fuel twice, taking it from 10.9 cents to 14.3 cents. As well, it increased the provincial excise tax on gasoline twice, taking it from 11.3 cents to 14.7 cents. I do not think we need to take any lessons from the NDP on excise taxes on fuel.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that a cartel of oil producing countries, designed to fix and maintain the price of an essential commodity like energy, is being held up by the minister and the government as a shining example of competition in the marketplace. Either energy costs will be passed on to consumers or truckers will go bankrupt. Either way it hurts the Canadian economy.

Again my question is for the Prime Minister. What is the Liberal action plan to protect Canadians and the economy from soaring energy prices and the international OPEC cartel?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, just to set the record clear, the hon. gentleman should know that Canada is not a member of OPEC and we do not support that approach to the marketplace.

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, over the last year diesel fuel prices have doubled. As a result some truckers have been forced to leave their trucks at home and some are protesting up and down the highways of Canada. Meanwhile, the department has increased the tax on diesel fuel to over a $100 million increase per year.

Will the minister reverse some of the $100 million tax increase per year that has been applied to the trucking industry? Will he reduce it so the pressure being experienced by the truckers can be alleviated?

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, here we have the Tories calling upon the government to reduce the excise tax on fuels. Let us just look at what they did when they were in office. Between 1983-84 and 1993 they raised the excise tax on gasoline not once, not twice but six times. They not only introduced the excise tax on diesel fuel but they then raised it twice.

That party was in power for nine years and raised the excise tax on fuels nine times. Would it be out of order to call it hypocritical when it calls for a tax cut like that?

[The Speaker]

In answer to your question, yes.

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, there is no fuel like an old fuel, but anyway I want to point out that the minister is trying to go back a decade. He is responsible. That party is responsible today. In the last five years—

[The Speaker]

Order, please. Dismiss the first part and you can go on.

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the government has increased fuel taxes by in excess of $900 million a year over the last five years. That government has done it, and I am asking it to reduce the increase a little so the trucking industry can survive, so that people can pay their wages and pay for their groceries.

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member is so anxious to see us cut the excise taxes on fuels then why did his party's finance critic in its prebudget tax plan not call for cuts to the fuel taxes? Is it because he is spent fuel?

National Defence

[Pat O'Brien, Liberal, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence. Recently there have been concerns about the health of Canadian forces members who may have been exposed to depleted uranium.

Would the minister explain to the House why the government has now made a decision to offer independent tests to current and former CF members who may want to avail themselves of such tests?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we have offered independent testing for those who may be affected by depleted uranium, those troops who served in overseas missions, because we want to get to the truth of the matter. We want to know if their health is being affected by any exposure to depleted uranium. First and foremost we will look after the health needs of our troops.

Human Resources Development

[Cliff Breitkreuz, Reform, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, HRDC spent millions of tax dollars on TJF and CJF grants to companies based on projected job creation and not on actual jobs created. The 10,000 documents released yesterday said nothing about actual jobs.

In fact the minister's department said it had no way to prove that jobs had been created. Yet the minister stated in the House that 30,000 jobs have been created as a result of these programs. Could the minister prove that 30,000 jobs have been created as a result of these programs?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, the party opposite is always asking where are our independent reviews. Let us look at what we have here. A reputable, highly regarded private company, Ekos Research Associates, undertook a full review of the transitional jobs fund using sound, widely accepted and often used methodologies to analyze and assess the results of this program. It identified that 30,000 jobs would be created.