Debates of May 12th, 2000

Grain Transportation

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the details of this program are still being worked out but there is a precedent with the money that was put in to compensate western provinces under the WGTA reforms. We will be looking at that in the next little while.

We do hope that the provinces will do their bit as well to assist with the rebuilding of these grain roads. The $175 million that we are allocating is new money and I think it will be well spent.

Youth

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the Speech from the Throne the Government of Canada committed to establish a national exchange program so that Canadian youth from different parts of the country could participate in programs and learn about the country's diversity and the different languages and cultures that exist within the mosaic of Canada. I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage what happened to that proposal and when can we see some action on the ground?

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, we live in a vast country, a country rich in natural resources and in its geography as well as in its cultural diversity and in the linguistic duality it is important to discover.

This is why two weeks ago, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced a further $15 million, which was provided in the budget this year, for interchange Canada, in order to permit young people to take part in the some 300 exchange programs in this country to enable our young people to discover each other, to discover communities from sea to sea and to appreciate this great and beautiful country of Canada.

Forestry

[John Duncan, Reform, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government sponsored the film l'Erreur boréale which is a one-sided anti-industry diatribe against Quebec forest management designed for an international audience. At the same time the Minister of Natural Resources professes to support forest practices in Canada but funding seems to be a problem. Why is the government so reluctant to fund promotion of our world class forestry standards internationally?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, we know that there are concerns not only in Canada but around the world about our forestry standards. It is very important because the export of forestry products is important for Canada, as it is domestically in Canada, for economic and environmental reasons. It is very important that we, as we can, demonstrate to the rest of the world that we practise sound environmental and forestry standards.

Day Care

[Paul Mercier, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a study released yesterday reports that the Quebec day care model is markedly superior to the Canadian one.

Yet the Minister of Finance, with his wall to wall taxation, is penalizing Quebec parents who only pay $5.00 a day for day care.

How can the Minister of Finance accept a taxation policy which continues to penalize Quebec parents, when the Quebec system is the one on which all others ought to be modelled?

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

Mr. Speaker, if the question refers to a credit for charges that were not paid, this would be unreasonable.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Louise Hardy, NDP, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, Tombstone Park in the Yukon was negotiated through a land claim with the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'en but mining claims were staked within the park boundaries. While in the Yukon the minister for DIAND made a clear statement opposed to mining in the park saying it was very difficult to comprehend how we could have mining. Yet last week the licensing process went ahead as if the minister had said nothing.

Will the minister act now to protect the ecological integrity of this park and the land claim agreement?

[David Iftody, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, we are well aware of the discussions and negotiations ongoing in Yukon with the treaty people and the mining interests. I have had a briefing on these particular matters and in fact met with representatives of the mining industry from in and around that community in the territory of Yukon.

We are continuing to negotiate on those specific matters that were brought forward. The minister has given his assurance to all those particular parties that we will continue to sit around the table to resolve third party interests, the interests of first nations people and the people of Yukon generally.

Tobacco Products

[Greg Thompson, Progressive Conservative, Charlotte, NB]

Mr. Speaker, in 1994 the government caved in and abandoned Canada's anti-smoking initiative. The reason was because of the smuggling of tobacco products. Now the government is planning to significantly raise tobacco taxes once again to do the very thing it abandoned in 1994.

Is the government prepared to put money into the enforcement side? Or, does it have a plan at all? Or, will it simply flip-flop on this issue as it did in 1994? What plan does it have to deal with smuggling?

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

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member has hit the nub of the problem.

We saw a number of years ago, when the prices were very high, how in some markets more than 50% of the supply came from contraband. Our position has always been that we would increase the taxes on cigarettes just as quickly and as much as we could, commensurate with the problem involving smuggling.

This is what we are doing. This is what we are doing in collaboration with the provinces. Enforcement is a very big concern.

Justice

[Hec Clouthier, Liberal, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I unequivocally support parts of Bill C-17 which would reduce cruelty to animals, but I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice to assure the House that this legislation will not egregiously affect those who are involved in business and animal related industries, including fishing.

[John Maloney, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have called upon parliament to increase the penalties with respect to cruelty and the people who would purposely injure animals.

I wish to assure the House and the country that normal and legitimate practices, such as hunting, fishing, agricultural works and animal husbandry, which are legal today will be legal tomorrow when the bill is passed.

Presence In Gallery

[The Deputy Speaker]

I would like to draw the attention of all hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the hon. Joseph Handley, Minister of Finance, Minister responsible for Workers Compensation Board, Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development for the Government of the Northwest Territories.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

Points Of Order

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, in one of my answers in question period I referred to a 1977 agreement. Obviously I intended to refer to a 1997 agreement.

Tobacco Act

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 32(2), I am tabling proposed regulations pursuant to the Tobacco Act.

Pursuant to section 42(1) of the act, the proposed regulations stand referred to the Standing Committee on Health.

Government Responses To Petitions

[Carolyn Parrish, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present the government's response to 12 petitions in both official languages.

Committees Of The House

[Carolyn Parrish, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 30th annual report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs concerning the main estimates, Vote 5 under “Parliament”, dated March 31, 2000.

Petitions

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by many constituents who ask the government to remove the tax imposed when applying for permanent residency in Canada.

[Rey D. Pagtakhan, Liberal, Winnipeg North—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present a petition on behalf of my constituents which references Bill C-23. The petitioners wish to affirm the opposite sex definition of marriage in legislation to ensure that marriage is recognized as a unique institution.

I received the petition after the bill had passed the House. However, I would like to inform my constituents that, indeed, paragraph 1.1 of the amended legislation passed by the House states:

For greater certainty, the amendments made by this Act do not affect the meaning of the word “marriage”, that is, the lawful union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

[John Duncan, Reform, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I hardly think it is appropriate to deliver a petition and then talk about how the government addressed the whole issue in a piece of legislation. I do not think that kind of comment goes with delivering a petition.

[The Deputy Speaker]

We get a lot of comments with petitions, but I agree that it does seem unusual for the hon. member to say how the petition has been answered. On the other hand, some hon. members present petitions and have to say that it is too late because the petition is late, and make comments about the fact that legislation has passed. It is a fine line.

I will take the matter under advisement and review again what the hon. member said in light of the precedents and the eminent discourses that occur on this subject in Marleau and Montpetit, which we all read with such enthusiasm.

Questions On The Order Paper

[Carolyn Parrish, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is that agreed?