House of Commons Hansard #84 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was billion.

Topics

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. We will hear the answer of the hon. Deputy Prime Minister.

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

Herb Gray Liberal Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, I suggest that there is more sense and more weight in the words of the president of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who is there on the scene and said these words to our Prime Minister just the other day, than the nonsense spoken by the Conservative Party, especially in light of the experience of their current leader, Joe Clark, when he was Prime Minister of Canada for a few months, something he will not be again after the mess he made of his year as prime minister, especially with respect to the Middle East.

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Reform

Jim Abbott Reform Kootenay—Columbia, BC

Mr. Speaker, the auditor general says that the government has mismanaged criminal information. The Canadian Police Information Centre, CPIC, is down 880 hours a year. It is handling 10 times the volume it was designed for.

As a result, 20,000 law enforcement officers across Canada have been precluded from making three million inquiries. What a gift for the criminals. What is with this solicitor general?

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Cardigan P.E.I.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated a number of times, the government showed where its commitment was when it allocated $810 million of new money to the office of the solicitor general and $584 million of that to the RCMP.

Before that, $115 million were allocated to the very system that my hon. colleague speaks about, the CPIC system. We are well aware it needed to be updated and put in shape. We allocated last year $115 million so the RCMP and other police forces across the country would have the necessary tools to do the job.

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Reform

Jim Abbott Reform Kootenay—Columbia, BC

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about that $115 million. The auditor general says:

Because the replacement project has been delayed for more than 10 years, there is uncertainty about whether the existing system will be able to function until the new system is ready.

Why does the solicitor general have such an easy time finding money for the drug research centre in his own riding but cannot find money for the RCMP?

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Cardigan P.E.I.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, why I am interested in drug research is that 50% of people who commit a federal offence are intoxicated when they do so.

It would certainly make common sense to me that we address the major problem, but beyond that we also addressed the CPIC problem when we put $115 million in place to make sure that the computer system was in place for all police forces across the country.

We indicated that we would give police the tools to do the job, and we did just that.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC

Mr. Speaker, Placeteco's owner, Claude Gauthier, compared the HRDC grant to his wife giving him some money to buy himself some fishing gear. Incredible.

Do these rather astonishing statements made by the individual at Placeteco who found himself the recipient of a $1.2 million grant not say a lot about the attitude of those involved in this affair, where the main person involved looks on the grant money as an extremely nice gift from his friend the Prime Minister?

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Brant Ontario

Liberal

Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, again let me say that the facts of the relationship we have with the companies have not changed. There is no basis for an overpayment to be established. The invoices are there to support the investments we have made and 170 people are working.

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC

Mr. Speaker, I do not know how the minister can actually tell us there was no overpayment when we know very well that a large part of the grant was for the creation of jobs and not a single one was created. If no jobs were created, is not every cent an overpayment?

Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Brant Ontario

Liberal

Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development

Mr. Speaker, if we were to follow the advice of the hon. member, 170 men and women would not be employed in areas of high unemployment.

Again I say that we believe we have done the right thing and we believe their approach is wrong.

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Reform

Mike Scott Reform Skeena, BC

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister of Indian affairs. Yesterday the minister admitted that he is failing aboriginal children.

His department mismanages the expenditure of a billion dollars a year. It is supposed to be for aboriginal education. As a result, aboriginal children are 20 years behind the rest of the country. The minister has had 24 hours to do his homework. What is his defence today?

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Kenora—Rainy River Ontario

Liberal

Bob Nault LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, the government to government relationship we have with the first nations is working very well. In the last two years we have done significant remodelling of the relationship with first nations.

The education dollars available to first nations are all accounted for in those budgets, and they are continuing to work on that.

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Reform

Mike Scott Reform Skeena, BC

Mr. Speaker, the auditor general emphatically disagrees with the minister. The minister talks about the studies that have been done and about Gathering Strength as a response to the auditor general's report.

The auditor general says there have been over 22 studies done over 20 years and there has been no improvement. The auditor general says that Gathering Strength cannot demonstrate that it will result in any improvement for aboriginal children.

Why should anybody believe the minister? Why should aboriginal children believe him when he says that will be the answer to their problem, and why should they have to pay for the minister's mismanagement?

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Kenora—Rainy River Ontario

Liberal

Bob Nault LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, when the member stands and makes those kinds of comments, he might keep in mind that the government transfers those funds to first nations and it is under their control.

What he is doing basically is accusing the first nations and the teachers who are working with those kids of mismanaging the funds, and in fact they are not.

Growing Of CannabisOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Mr. Speaker, in a few days, criminals will resume their illegal production of cannabis in the fields of the greater Saint-Hyacinthe region.

These criminals will confiscate land and again terrorize thousands of farm families. Nothing will have changed, despite the government's promises.

How does the solicitor general explain that his government has increased the RCMP's overall budget by $200 million this year but that the number of full time RCMP officer positions at the Saint-Hyacinthe detachment in one of the largest cannabis-growing regions in Quebec will be cut in half?

Growing Of CannabisOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Cardigan P.E.I.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, as my hon. colleague is well aware, these investigations are led by the SQ and supported by the RCMP. We will continue to do so.

If a member shifted from one detachment to another, it would be for internal reasons within the RCMP.

Growing Of CannabisOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Mr. Speaker, I do not wish to speak about my case in particular, but does the solicitor general realize that, because he is not assuming his responsibilities, the Saint-Hyacinthe region RCMP will not devote any resources this year to the fight against drug traffickers, and that these gangs of criminals will be allowed to continue to terrorize thousands of farm families—men, women and children?

Growing Of CannabisOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Cardigan P.E.I.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hon. member's concern. I can assure him that the RCMP takes this matter very seriously.

However, as I indicated previously, the investigation is led by the SQ and then supported by the RCMP. The RCMP will continue to support the SQ and other police forces across the country in situations like this one.

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Reform

Derrek Konrad Reform Prince Albert, SK

Mr. Speaker, the auditor general's report states that many of the required assessments are missing and that there is inadequate monitoring of aboriginal education programs by the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

The auditor general could not figure out where the money went. Maybe the minister would like to tell us, if he can and if he will.

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Kenora—Rainy River Ontario

Liberal

Bob Nault LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, it is well known that money as it relates to education is being transferred through agreements to the first nations school boards and education systems on reserve and off reserve.

The hon. member should keep in mind that a vast majority of the young people who belong to first nations go to school in provincial schools, working with provincial administrators and provincial educators. Those funds are all based on a per capita basis for education purposes.

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Reform

Derrek Konrad Reform Prince Albert, SK

Mr. Speaker, the auditor general speaks of sloppy administration, inadequate monitoring and lack of accountability in the minister's own department.

The minister says he has a plan to fix it, but here is the issue. The lives of aboriginal children and $1 billion worth of taxpayer dollars are at stake. That minister is responsible. Who will the minister blame for the shambles in aboriginal education? Will it be the provinces and the bands?

Auditor General's ReportOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Kenora—Rainy River Ontario

Liberal

Bob Nault LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the member opposite and his party do not have a clue what they are talking about.

If they knew what they were talking about, they would realize that in the last 20 years alone we went from no students in post-secondary education to 27,000 aboriginal students in post-secondary education, a significant improvement.

That is not to suggest that we do not have a long way to go, but the reason we are successful is that we are transferring the control of those children to their families and to their first nations.

Genetically Modified OrganismsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Bloc

Hélène Alarie Bloc Louis-Hébert, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture claims that GMO exports are not threatened.

Yet, farmers have experienced difficulties in selling certain GMO crops, because European and Asian consumers do not want them and support mandatory labelling.

Does the minister not realize that farmers are directly affected by his reluctance to take action on this issue?

Genetically Modified OrganismsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, I have explained a number of times, I think almost daily, to the hon. member, the House and all Canadians, what we are doing in order to provide the information. The industry is working toward that. We do not have any major trade problems at the present time. Some countries are saying that they are moving toward a different set of labelling. However, none of them have been able to indicate or prove that at this time because they do not have credible, meaningful and enforceable legislation in place.