Debates of June 12th, 2000

Human Resources Development

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, do you know what else we did? We provided 10,000 pages of all the grants and contributions in every single riding.

I would ask the hon. member, when she received that information, did she think to call those organizations and ask them about how the money was being used? Did she think to talk to the individuals who are benefiting as a result of these investments? I think not.

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to further suggest that the minister asked that the special ministerial briefing book on grants and contributions list a number of HRDC programs and the role MPs play in every one of them. For example on youth employment initiatives it says, “on a monthly basis, regions will inform national headquarters of successful projects that would offer good visibility for the minister”.

Is that not really what the grants and contributions are all about, visibility for the minister?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, what the grants and contributions programs are all about is helping Canadians who are in need to get the services that they need so they can participate in society.

If it were not for that party, we would not have to defend against the attacks it is making on Canadians, on the individuals who are benefiting from these grants and contributions and who quite frankly feel they are being chastised as people who are not worthy of our investment.

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in early August 1999 the minister asked for a special briefing book on MP involvement in 25 grants and contributions programs giving important detail such as, “In Newfoundland the former Minister of Fisheries and Oceans announced all term job creation projects regardless of the constituency. That process may now change with the new minister assuming her responsibilities”. That is what she said.

How can the minister deny that political visibility lies at the heart of these HRDC grants?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, again, what lies at the heart of these grants and contributions is recognizing there is a role for the Government of Canada to play not only in supporting communities that want to participate fully in our country, but most particularly in supporting individuals.

What we know to be true now after five months of its ranting and raving is that party is not interested in Canadians who need help, Canadians who want to improve their literacy skills, who want to as Canadians with disabilities participate in the economy of this country, young people who want to get that important first job. Let those members come clean with their real agenda here.

[Charlie Penson, Reform, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a little more from the grants and contributions briefing book that the minister had prepared. We learn that all federal government announcements for the grants under the employment benefit and support measures, a series of programs worth $2.1 billion a year by the way, are “at the discretion of the minister”.

Was the minister demonstrating her discretion by creating publicity for the Liberals instead of preventing another billion dollar boondoggle?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, again the hon. member gives me the opportunity to remind the House and Canadians that $1 billion is not missing. In fact, $1 billion has been invested in communities right across the country to help Canadians in need.

What is very interesting here is time and again members of that party opposite focus on grants and contributions. What they are really saying is those men and women who have been supported by these programs should not be supported. What they talk about is the waste of government dollars. We do not see that to be a waste at all.

Parental Leave

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the confrontational attitude adopted by the Prime Minister in connection with parental leave has been criticized by his own people, who have expressed concern about his attitude.

One woman member of his party has advised the Prime Minister to adopt an attitude of co-operation, mutual recognition and good will.

Is the Prime Minister going to give in to the arguments of the Bloc Quebecois, as well as of his own party faithful, and support Quebec's actions in connection with parental leave?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, starting this year, the Government of Canada has made a commitment to double the length of parental leave available to all Canadians.

If the Government of Quebec wants to add to this good news and improve the Canadian government's program, we applaud them for it.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, she should hold her applause and instead try to understand, because the two projects as formulated cannot be complementary.

This is why Jean Charest, the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, is supporting the position of the Government of Quebec. This is not a squabble between sovereignists and federalists. The future of Quebec's young families is at stake here.

How can the minister remain unmoved by the considerable support the Quebec project is receiving, from the Quebec Liberal Party, the federal Liberal party faithful in Quebec, the Government of Quebec, trade unions, employers' associations, from everyone?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, it is very important for us to have our new process in place this year.

With our program, Quebecers will not have to make any additional contributions in order to draw these benefits, and low income families will receive 80% of their insurable earnings.

As I have said, and say again, the Government of Quebec is welcome to improve the Canadian government's program if it so desires.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in setting parental leave up as a point of discord with Quebec, the federal government is on the wrong track.

Does the minister realize how many young families will be deprived of parental leave if the federal government does not change its attitude and continues to promote its program, which is tied to employment insurance?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, this is not our approach at all. What we know to be true is that there are very clear difficulties between the workplace and family balance. For us it is important to have our new program in place this year for all Canadians, including those living in Quebec. From our point of view, if the Government of Quebec wants to add to those benefits, we applaud it.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I repeat that the federal government is on the wrong track in wanting to set up two distinct programs, one Ottawa's, one Quebec's.

Will this not unnecessarily complicate the life of young families, since the majority of them will not benefit from parental leave? That is the question.

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, can it be wrong for us to recognize that we can do a better job supporting families with children in the workplace-family relationship? Is it wrong for us to build on a 30 year tradition that is and has been supporting Canadian families right across the country? Is it wrong for us to improve our benefits this year for all Canadians? I do not think that is wrong. I think it is the right thing to do. I also think it is right to encourage the provinces should they wish to add to that benefit base to do so.

Status Of Women

[Alexa McDonough, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, on Friday the Prime Minister made sexist and hurtful remarks directed against Canadian women. Rather than answering a woman reporter's question, the Prime Minister went on about how she probably benefits from the parental leave program. Finding out that she had not, he said, “Gee, it is time because you're a nice girl, you know”.

Will the Prime Minister now apologize to the women of Canada? Is there anyone over there who will apologize on behalf of the Canadian government?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, one has to look at the Prime Minister's remarks in the context that they were given. The Prime Minister's position is that if these lighthearted remarks offended anyone, then he is very sorry about it and in effect extends his apologies.

Child Poverty

[Alexa McDonough, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, this is not about the reporter. It is about the government's attitude, its attitude toward women, the treatment of women and the concerns of women.

Let us take another example, child poverty. UNICEF reports that Canada has abandoned the fight against child poverty. Canada now ranks 17th among 29 OECD countries.

Why has the federal government placed so little priority on eliminating child poverty? Is the government content with a record that brings upon us international shame?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, the government is preoccupied by issues of poverty. We are glad to see in most recent reports that the level of overall poverty and child poverty has decreased on a year over year basis.

One thing that is clear is that the best defence against poverty is a job. That is why we are also glad to see that this month's unemployment numbers are the lowest they have been in 24 years, with unemployment resting at 6.6%.

National Defence

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that the Liberal government leaks like a sieve, yet another government audit has shown that a significant amount of defence department contract information was slipped to two Canadian companies bidding on parts of a $10 billion frigate program. The audit implicates a senior official and clerical staff and speaks of documents being removed without authorization. If true, criminal acts may have been committed.

In the interest of regaining public confidence which is waning, will the minister disclose the names of the companies which received this sensitive information so that an independent investigation can occur?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, a number of allegations were made and most of them were found not to be true. There are some that are still under investigation. In fact, the two companies, and I do not know which ones they were, which are alleged to have had information did not get contracts.

I think it is fair to say that overall we should put this in the context of saying this is one of the largest and one of the most complex procurement projects ever undertaken in this country. Out of it we got 12 state of the art world class frigates and it was all done under budget and on schedule.

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

Mr. Speaker, that does not restore confidence about the system itself. Years of cuts to the defence budget have hobbled the military and made it very difficult for it to conduct investigations of security breaches.

Concerns of office security for the frigate project became the subject of a 1995 segment of W5 . Since that time the audit has found that five complaints against the department merit investigation.

We have a pretty good idea who was responsible for the breach, yet the department does not want to pin it on anybody and again, no names have been released. Will the minister call in the RCMP to ensure that a full independent investigation occurs?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

A full investigation has been occurring, is occurring and will continue until we get the information that we require to take the appropriate action. It is not true that any cutting of resources has resulted in any less of an investigation. That would not be an appropriate thing to do and that is not what we are doing at all.

These frigates have provided great service to the Canadian forces since they were brought in in the early 1990s.

Health Care

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the provincial and territorial premiers' report on sustainability of health care is a damning commentary on the government's performance. The report shows that the cost of sustaining the taxpayers' share of health care at current levels could rise from $54 billion today to $85 billion in 10 years. This government has not even lived up to its present commitment.

How can Canadians have any confidence that this government will honour its future obligations and provide them with the health care they deserve?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, first, I want to say how much we welcomed the report we received from the provincial and territorial ministers last week. It is a very helpful contribution, but it does point to the fact that the health care system is under cost pressures that are only going to rise. It is all the more important for us to get this system sustainable by making the kind of constructive change that is needed.

I look forward to working with my provincial and territorial partners to that effect. We are off to a good start. Yesterday the Prime Minister met with Premier Klein who said, and I quote, “I think all premiers can agree that we need to establish goals and objectives nationally. With national consensus on goals, working together we can maintain quality care”.