House of Commons Hansard #78 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was public.
Walt Lastewka Liberal St. Catharines, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Trade.
I raised the issue of trade inequities in international wine markets on previous occasions. In 1996 Canada imported more than $330 million worth of wine from the European Union while Canadian exports to the EU were limited to only $1 million. In 1999 the gap grew.
Why is there this huge imbalance? When will the minister correct the problem?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that Canada will continue to seek improved access for our wines, including the Ontario ice wine which is having major difficulty in Europe. We are working hard on that file.
We have discussed a limited aegis on bilateral wine and spirit issues with the EU, including market access, protection for geographic indications and mutual recognition of winemaking practices. We had an exchange of views between Canadian and EU officials at the end of March. Significant differences remain but we will make further progress.
Rahim Jaffer Reform Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, maybe they can exchange papers after question period instead and pay attention to the environment.
The government can study environmental investments all it wants but Canadian taxpayers are still on the hook for the following environmental disasters: the Three Gorges dam in China, $130 million; mine poisoning in Papua New Guinea, $88 million; and, a gold mine cyanide spill in Kyrgyzstan, $30 million.
How can the minister defend blowing hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on these disasters?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague in the House for taking an interest in the wine exports of the country that will do a lot better job. I do not think the opposition member should question his own questions.
As for the EDC, this is a very important subject on environment. It has its environmental framework with its own policies and EDC does go through these factors for every project that it approves.
There will be a legislative review. We will discuss these elements further as our government—
Export Development CorporationOral Question Period
The Speaker
The hon. member for Edmonton—Strathcona.
Rahim Jaffer Reform Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, it seems like whining is all we are getting from that side of the House. We are starting to see that environmental boondoggles are the real return on investments to Canadians, from the so-called team Canada trade missions that the government has sponsored. There was $1.5 billion for a Chinese nuclear reactor; another $245 million for a gold mine in Guyana, and another cyanide spill; a pulp and paper mill in Indonesia; chronic air and water pollution.
How can the minister justify spending billions of dollars on these environmental boondoggles?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I have explained a number of times that the EDC has a mandate to help Canadian exporters gain access to a number of markets. It works out of two accounts. I have explained that in the House time and again. There is the corporate account and the Canada account.
The auditor general has gone through its work and it is quite appropriate the way it works. It is applying public criteria that are well known with its environmental framework. We will have the opportunity of discussing that further at the legislative review of the EDC.
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, 300 people gathered on the Acadian peninsula to ask the federal and provincial governments to assume their responsibility in the matter of the black hole created by the changes to unemployment insurance in 1996 by this government.
Yesterday, the Premier of New Brunswick told a group of 200 people that New Brunswick was not responsible for the black hole.
What is the Minister of Human Resources Development going to do to resolve the problem of the black hole once and for all?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, we are very sensitive to the plight of seasonal workers. Let us face it, the best insurance for them is job creation, economic development and skills training.
That is why in 1997 we conferred $240 million to the province of New Brunswick to use in assisting seasonal workers and others in the province to get the employment they need. I am glad to say that I have had the chance to visit the Acadian peninsula and have received a report jointly done with the men and women who live in that area and my department. We will be looking at that report to see if there is more we can do.
Dennis Gruending NDP Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK
Mr. Speaker, the government has failed to renegotiate a longstanding agreement with the province of Ontario to clean up the polluted waters of the Great Lakes. There are 8.5 million Canadians who live in the Great Lakes basin and another 4.5 million who live along the St. Lawrence River. Their health and safety is at stake.
This agreement was important and it was working. Will the environment minister tell us why the agreement was allowed to expire?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I can inform the hon. member that I wrote sometime ago to the Ontario minister for the environment proposing that the agreement be continued and re-established for another period of years. The Ontario government has not yet substantively replied to us. This does not mean that we are not continuing with negotiations. We would like to continue so we can sign an agreement as soon as possible.
I can assure the member that in the meantime we will make sure that everything possible is done to maintain the quality of the environment of the Great Lakes and to make sure that there is no harm to the environment by reason of the lack of an agreement.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport just stood up and said he got the best deal he could on a ferry for the run from North Sydney to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland. He got the best deal and it only cost $70 million. Our information is other vessels were offered for $30 million to $40 million.
Would the minister stand up and say exactly how much was paid for the ferry and how much it is going to cost to bring it up to standard?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, a certain amount of money has been allocated by the government for the new ferry. That money will be spent to get the best ferry possible and negotiations on this particular ferry have concluded.
We on this side of the House believe we have to be responsible in paying out a certain amount of money. On the other hand we also feel an obligation to all those passengers between the mainland and Newfoundland who demand a good quality of service.
It is obvious from the hon. member's question that the Tories are not interested in quality service on the gulf.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, all I asked was how much he paid. I would like to ask the minister again. How much did Marine Atlantic pay for the ferry, how much is it going to cost to upgrade it and how long is it going to take?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, as I said before, a certain amount of money in excess of $70 million was allocated to this particular project. It will provide for first class ferry service which will provide the capacity on the gulf for this year and years to come.
This is going to be a great boon especially to the tourism industry in Newfoundland and Labrador that has really expanded in recent years.
I think this government has discharged its obligations to the people of Newfoundland and we have done it in a very good and satisfactory way.
Charles Caccia Liberal Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.
With respect to the Ontario government's proposed highway 407 extension project which has led to some public outcry, can the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans as the responsible authority tell the House today whether he will call for a full federal environmental assessment and public review panel to examine this proposed extension?
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, first let me congratulate the hon. member for Davenport for his excellent work on the environment. It is is something on which he has worked very hard and to which he is committed.
With regard to the report on the environmental assessment of the highway 407 project, it has just undergone a public review and comment period which concluded on March 24. The report will now be completed and a decision will be made in the near future regarding the next steps in the environmental assessment process.
I can assure the hon. member that I am reviewing this file right now. I hope to visit the areas that are affected personally and have a decision very soon.
Val Meredith Reform South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister for International Trade keeps justifying the billion dollars plus EDC loan to Amtrak by claiming that these loans are creating jobs in Canada. We know however that most of the jobs were created in the United States with the Amtrak loan.
I ask the minister precisely how many new jobs were created in Canada with the EDC billion dollar loan to Amtrak.
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I will have to explain to the now deceased Reform Party how the new economy functions.
The EDC loan to Amtrak has been granted against purchasing some groundwork equipment made in La Pocatière, Canada. They are initially made there. They are initially built there. They might be finished closer to the destination but that is exactly how the new economy works. They are doing their job just fine.
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.
The Minister of National Defence established a task force to look at the location and the costs inherent in setting up a new military training program focussing on leadership, training that would be offered to the officers in the Canadian army.
Could the minister confirm whether the only site being proposed is still the military college in Saint-Jean, Quebec?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we are still considering the enhanced leadership program. It is a program that we want to put into effect as quickly as possible. It is one of many recommendations to help with the improvement of officership development in the Canadian forces.
We are still looking at the location. We are looking very carefully at the location the hon. member has mentioned in Saint Jean and I hope we have an answer very soon on that.
Wendy Lill NDP Dartmouth, NS
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry. On Friday Bell Canada announced that it would increase the basic residential rate for rural telephone service by up to 600% more than the planned increase for city phones.
Does the minister support having a two tier price structure for basic phone rates in Canada? Does he think it is fair that rural Canadians in places like Plevna and Gogama pay more than Ottawa residents for basic telephone service?
John Manley LiberalMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, this is a very important question with respect to the accessibility of basic services to residents wherever they are in regions which in some cases are rural or remote.
It is a matter, as the member knows, which has been discussed and considered by the CRTC in recent decisions. Some of those decisions are currently under appeal to the governor in council, so it would be inappropriate for me to comment on them until those appeals have been dealt with. The member should know that it is part of the government's policy to ensure that Canada is the most connected nation in the world. That includes not only basic telephone service but basic Internet service for all—
Scott Brison Progressive Conservative Kings—Hants, NS
Mr. Speaker, in September 1999 the Minister of National Revenue chartered a plane from Gaspé to Montreal for himself and his assistant at a cost to Canadian taxpayers of $4,280. Flights between Gaspé and Montreal run three times a day and cost about $470 per flight.
Why did the minister take a chartered plane at 10 times the cost of a commercial flight when there are three flights a day? Why does the minister's champagne tastes cost Canadian—