Debates of May 31st, 2000

National Defence

[Gordon Earle, NDP, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence. The minister indicated to the House that the file on the maritime helicopter project is moving. The file seems to be in such constant motion that I am afraid it will never come to rest for a decision.

Could the hon. minister tell the House where the mobile file is at the moment and when exactly he will announce a contract for replacement of the aging and oftentimes malfunctioning Sea Kings?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I have indicated on many occasions that the file is moving and that there are ongoing preparations for the replacement of the Sea Kings.

I indicated in fact when the Sea Kings needed to be replaced. I indicated that we were putting money into upgrading them to extend them over the next five years while we go through the process of getting the helicopters manufactured and put in place. That is how long it takes for the process. We will continue to move that file because it is our number one procurement priority.

Justice

[Peter MacKay, Progressive Conservative, Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS]

Mr. Speaker, while we know the Minister of Justice cannot comment on the specifics of the extradition case involving Karlheinz Schreiber or the million dollar slander case that has been launched by him against her government, could she assure the House none of the irregularities that existed in the first instance, which forced the government to settle out of court in an embarrassing way, exist this time around?

Does she honestly feel that the actions of her department are in full compliance with Canadian and international law?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, this matter is before the courts at this time. Therefore it is inappropriate for me to make any comment in relation to it.

Foreign Affairs

[Sophia Leung, Liberal, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Last week in Vancouver I attended a rally with over 1,000 native Fijians to call attention to the recent coup in Fiji.

Can the minister tell the House how Canada will help restore democracy in Fiji and ensure that any future attempts against democratic rule in that country will be condemned by Canada?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her concern and remind the House that we have already issued a very strong condemnation of the illegal takeover and a call for restoration.

Next Monday there will be a meeting of the Commonwealth ministerial action group, at which time Canada will propose the suspension of Fiji from the Commonwealth unless there is substantial improvement and make it very clear that we will only accept that restoration based upon a democratically elected government under a constitution which recognizes no racial or ethnic discrimination.

Health

[Mike Scott, Reform, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we will try one more time. Two years ago in the House I asked the minister if he could guarantee that the water supply for the Gull Bay First Nation would be corrected after an expenditure of $4 million. The minister said he would look into it and would get back to us.

We are two years down the road. If he cannot answer the questions about any of the other 171 reserve communities where they have deficient water systems, can he tell us if this one has been fixed? Has his commitment been lived up to? Are the residents of this community able to have purified drinking water at this time?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I spoke of our commitment to make sure that safe drinking water is available. Had the member given me advance notice of his question about this specific community, I would have been pleased to get up to date information about it.

Let me tell the member, as I have already, that for Health Canada safe drinking water in aboriginal communities is a matter of real importance. We will continue to work with our partners and with those communities to make sure that is available.

Violence On Television

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, eight years after presenting a petition signed by 1.3 million people asking the government to legislate to reduce violence on television, Virginie Larivière was back in Ottawa yesterday to support Bill C-470 on the reduction of violence in television broadcasts.

What is the Minister of Canadian Heritage waiting for to support this bill endorsed by the Centrale de l'enseignement du Québec, the Canadian Teachers' Federation and over 80 parliamentarians?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Canada Pension Plan

[Lorne Nystrom, NDP, Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance.

Canadians are increasingly uneasy and uncomfortable with the fact that big tobacco and corporations blind to human rights, such as Talisman, are profiting from their pensions funds. I am sure the minister might share some of that discomfort himself.

In May of last year the minister said that he would take the whole issue of ethical screening of the CPP investments to the provincial finance ministers.

It is now one year later. What progress can he report? Has he convinced them that ethical screening is an important part of the pension fund of the Canadian people?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the matter is still under discussion by officials at both the Canadian government level and at the provincial government level.

There has been no conclusion to those discussions, but I can assure the hon. member that we take the matter quite seriously.

Atlantic Sugar Refinery

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, Atlantic Canada is about to lose its only sugar refining business with the closure of Atlantic Sugar Refinery in Saint John at the end of June. This will cost the region the loss of over 300 jobs and they will never be replaced.

Will the minister tell us what steps he is going to take to correct this injustice that has been brought about with the agreement he has entered into with the U.S.A. with regard to sugar.

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

Mr. Speaker, the member should be standing and thanking the government for the percentage of sugar going into the United States that has been, can I say, captured by Canada.

By far, the majority of the sugar going into the United States, according to international agreements, comes from Canada. We have that agreement with them.

Presence In Gallery

[The Speaker]

I would like to draw members' attention to the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Jane Groenewegen, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Social Services, and Minister responsible for the Status of Women, from the Government of the Northwest Territories.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

Government Response To Petitions

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the standing orders, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 90 petitions.

Committees Of The House

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Government Operations.

In accordance with its order of reference of Monday, May 8, 2000, the committee has considered Bill C-11, an act to authorize the divestiture of the assets of, and to dissolve, the Cape Breton Development Corporation, to amend the Cape Breton Development Corporation Act and to make consequential amendments to other acts, and has agreed to report it without amendment.

[Maurizio Bevilacqua, Liberal, Vaughan—King—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Finance regarding its order of reference of Friday, May 12, 2000 in relation to Bill S-3, an act to implement an agreement conventions and protocols between Canada, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Algeria, Bulgaria, Portugal, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Japan and Luxembourg for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.

The committee has considered Bill S-3 and reports the bill without amendment.

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations and I think you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, not withstanding the Order of Reference from the House of Thursday, March 16, 2000, the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs be granted an extension for its report on the confidentiality of the work of the Legislative Counsel from June 1, 2000 to June 15, 2000.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Does the hon. parliamentary secretary have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

Petitions

[Charles Caccia, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to present petition No. 362 prepared by some 85 or 90 petitioners in Toronto and in various parts of the country who call upon parliament to freeze the budget of the Department of National Defence pending a public review of military spending priorities and public hearings on the role of the Canadian armed forces.