House of Commons Hansard #94 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was pornography.

Topics

Hepatitis COral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Hepatitis COral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. We will listen to the answer, if the Minister of Health wishes to conclude.

Export Development CorporationOral Question Period

May 10th, 2000 / 2:40 p.m.

Reform

Deepak Obhrai Reform Calgary East, AB

Mr. Speaker, the Export Development Corporation's alliance with the London Guarantee Insurance Company reeks of patronage and violates the spirit of NAFTA. By not tendering the contract, the EDC has left the door open for a NAFTA challenge.

Why did the EDC chose patronage over trade rules?

Export Development CorporationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade

Mr. Speaker, I obviously do not accept the allegations of the hon. member, but EDC's strategic alliance with London Guarantee is consistent with our NAFTA procurement obligations. EDC is not listed in chapter 10, the procurement chapter of NAFTA. Furthermore, insurance services are not covered by Canada in chapter 10 of NAFTA. Nothing in this alliance stops Canadian firms from insuring their sales with competing firms.

Export Development CorporationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Reform

Deepak Obhrai Reform Calgary East, AB

Mr. Speaker, the minister told us that under NAFTA rules we cannot discriminate against firms seeking business opportunities in Canada but that is exactly what the EDC did by quietly awarding its insurance business to its political friends. The government chose to reward its friends and ignore our trade obligations. Why?

Export Development CorporationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade

Mr. Speaker, first, the EDC had established 10 criteria for identifying the strategic alliance partner that it needed. KPMG advised the EDC on that. As I just mentioned, the EDC is not listed in chapter 10, the procurement chapter of NAFTA. The EDC is not listed in that chapter.

Genetically Modified OrganismsOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Hélène Alarie Bloc Louis-Hébert, QC

Mr. Speaker, with the government's inaction on the matter of the GMOs, the Council of Canadians, the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy and researchers Anne Clark and Bert Christie yesterday submitted a request to the auditor general, asking him to review the GMO regulations, labelling and approval process.

Does the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food realize that his lack of transparency and his government's lack of action in the matter of the GMOs are causing considerable harm to biotechnology by discrediting it in the eyes of the public?

Genetically Modified OrganismsOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief Liberal Prince Edward—Hastings, ON

Mr. Speaker, as I have stated before in the House, there is no question that Canada has one of the best regulatory systems in the world in registering food products, the products from advancing technology, including those of biotechnology.

The Minister of Health, the Minister of the Environment and myself have put in place a blue ribbon panel of very esteemed people to review the regulatory capability of our government in order to ensure that we are able to continue to do that and to continue to ensure Canadians that we have the safest food in the world.

Sierra LeoneOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

David Pratt Liberal Nepean—Carleton, ON

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence. I understand that Canada recently received a request from the United Nations to provide airlift support to the United Nations' mission in Sierra Leone. How has the minister's department responded?

Sierra LeoneOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, in response to that request I have today authorized that an Airbus be dispatched to these countries which will be providing troops to supplement the UN forces in Sierra Leone. Within 48 hours an Airbus will be active and it will be active for two to three weeks transporting troops into the area.

We have been receiving requests with respect to some protective equipment. We are looking at other ways that we might be of support in this endeavour.

As well, my colleagues, the Minister for International Cooperation and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, are also dealing with this issue in a diplomatic and aid sense.

Airline IndustryOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Reform

Val Meredith Reform South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Transport announced the creation of a special commissioner to oversee consumer complaints. While the minister claims that the bill will regulate Air Canada and make sure consumers' interests are truly looked after, the reality is that this commissioner has no authority to resolve complaints.

Why does the minister think that consumer interests will be better protected by the creation of a paper tiger than by ensuring that there truly is competition?

Airline IndustryOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Thunder Bay—Atikokan Ontario

Liberal

Stan Dromisky LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, there are a multitude of agencies, associations and legal bodies that are involved in the aviation industry in this country. Each and every one acts as a watchman regarding the kind of service that the aviation industry provides.

The bill which will come before the House in the immediate future will guarantee that we have in place a system that will provide for each and every complainant an avenue of access to have their problems solved.

Airline IndustryOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Reform

Val Meredith Reform South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC

Mr. Speaker, the minister prevents serious competition by denying the increase of foreign ownership, claiming that it is anti-Canadian. However, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are three of the five largest companies in Canada and, despite being foreign owned, provide tens of thousands of Canadians high paying jobs and offer Canadian consumers a choice.

If competition works so well in the automobile industry, why will the minister not let it work in the airline industry?

Airline IndustryOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Thunder Bay—Atikokan Ontario

Liberal

Stan Dromisky LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, the aviation industry is fairly healthy in Canada. We are very optimistic regarding the future development of competitive patterns. Competition is taking place. As foreign avenues open up, competition will increase. There is no doubt about it.

When it comes to foreign ownership, Canadians from coast to coast have told us time and again that it has to be a Canadian operation, a Canadian company, owned by Canadians and controlled by Canadians.

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Gordon Earle NDP Halifax West, NS

Mr. Speaker, who runs our military? Is our military accountable to Canadians through this parliament, or is it really run by lawyers and the judge advocate general? Has the defence minister appointed a forces ombudsman purely for show, or is he willing to give him the tools to do the job?

The non-elected judge advocate general appears to be using stonewalling tactics to deny justice, treating military lawyers as untouchable and slamming the door in the face of our Canadian Forces ombudsman.

Will the Minister of National Defence instruct the judge advocate general and all military lawyers to co-operate fully with the forces ombudsman?

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, I think everybody in the Canadian Forces is trying to co-operate with the ombudsman. It is a new and a unique vehicle for helping our personnel. I want it to succeed. I believe it will succeed. There are numerous requests that have been made to that office.

There is a difficulty with overlapping jurisdiction in some areas and we are attempting to resolve that matter just as quickly as we possibly can so that the ombudsman and all of the other people who serve the Canadian Forces, the judge advocate general for example as well, will be able to do so.

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

NDP

Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary question for the same minister.

Last year when the Nanoose Bay testing range contract was renewed we were assured that there would be no nuclear weapons in Canadian waters. Yet I have a document in which DND is advertising for trainers of DND personnel in the use of nuclear weapons components and construction and nuclear capable vessels at Nanoose and at CFB Halifax. These are nuclear weapons, not nuclear powered vessels.

Why this betrayal of the promise of no U.S. nuclear weapons in Canadian waters?

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, there are nuclear powered vessels and submarines. To my knowledge, there are no nuclear weapons. There is certainly no testing of nuclear weapons that would be allowed in that range. The United States navy never confirms or denies whether any nuclear weaponry is aboard its vehicles.

We have operated this test range for numerous years. It has always been done quite safely and quite successfully. We want to take extra measures all the time to ensure safety.

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. When questions are being asked at one end of the House it seems that the noise from the other side is almost overpowering. I would ask hon. members, so that we can hear the questions and answers, if they have conversations to please take them outside the Chamber.

HealthOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Greg Thompson Progressive Conservative Charlotte, NB

Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, the Government of Ontario has recently announced an additional $25,000 for hepatitis C victims in that province.

I know this sounds quite bizarre, but our victims, those who fall under the Canada Health Act, have not received a nickel from the federal government. In other words, not a cent has come from the federal coffers.

How can the minister stand in his place and support lawyers who got paid? The lawyers defending the case have been paid but not the victims. Is it simply a case of lawyers come first, victims later?

HealthOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, the settlement we reached in that litigation will save those claimants at least 10 years before the courts. Those cheques will be going out soon under court direction and management.

The real question is, why will Ontario not accept the offer we made to provide money for services for sick victims? Instead of photo ops with the victims' groups, that premier should be accepting our offer, which could put millions of dollars into the hands of the Ontario government to provide services for those sick people this year. That is what Ontario should be doing. It should be accepting the services we are providing for sick people.

HealthOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Greg Thompson Progressive Conservative Charlotte, NB

Mr. Speaker, on another tainted issue, in the United States there is evidence to suggest that about 80% of the active ingredients used in prescription generic drugs come from third world countries. Those active ingredients from third world countries have been attributed to numerous deaths.

What assurances can the minister give us that the same situation cannot and will not happen in Canada?

HealthOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, the manufacture and sale of pharmaceutical products in Canada is done in accordance with exacting regulatory requirements to ensure the purity of product and the safety of consumers.

Western Grain TransportationOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

John Harvard Liberal Charleswood—Assiniboine, MB

Mr. Speaker, the government today announced a package that will greatly improve the western grain transportation system.

Could the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food tell the House what that means for farmers?

Western Grain TransportationOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, the announcement made earlier today by the Minister of Transport, the minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board and myself is a very good announcement for Canadian farmers and for all those in the grain industry in western Canada. It will mean $178 million in savings in transportation grain costs to farmers in western Canada this year. It will also mean that the federal government will contribute $175 million over five years toward the improvement of grain transportation in western Canada.

The industry has said, and rightfully so, that we needed to make some changes to the system to make it more efficient, more competitive and less costly.