House of Commons Hansard #122 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was animal.
Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS
Mr. Speaker, I will certainly withdraw the words, but I will not withdraw the request for the federal government to get on with a full federal environmental assessment.
What is the minister waiting for? If the government will not launch a full federal environmental assessment of its own to get the job done, why does it not just post a sign “Polluted drinking water brought to you by your federal Liberal friends?”
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I did not think that as a member of the House I would hear a leader of a political party refer to the laws made by parliament and this administration following the laws made by parliament in such derisory language.
The fact is the request has been made. The agency has been asked. When the agency reports in accordance with the law, I will deal with the report of the agency once again in accordance with the law. I will not countenance the recommendation of the hon. leader of the New Democratic Party that I should ignore my statutory responsibilities on a piece of legislation passed by parliament.
Elsie Wayne Progressive Conservative Saint John, NB
Mr. Speaker, when asked four months ago, the Minister of National Defence denied that his government was planning to award a sole source contract to Eurocopter to replace our Sea King helicopters. Having reviewed the statement of requirement and letter of interest, it is now very clear that Eurocopter has a sizeable advantage over its competition.
Will the minister explain to the House why this entire process which he has put in place so clearly favours Eurocopter?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we are putting in place a fair, open and transparent process. On top of that we are going to save over $1.5 billion from what her party would have inflicted upon us if we had proceeded with its particular proposal.
We are going through a period of time where we have asked the various competitive prospects to tell us about the letter of interest that we have put out and to tell us about the requests for proposals in draft form. We are awaiting their further comments on the matter. We will assess it at that time and determine if we need to make any changes. We all want to have a fair, open and transparent process.
Elsie Wayne Progressive Conservative Saint John, NB
Mr. Speaker, it is not fair and it is not open. I can tell you that.
It is obvious to anyone who looks at the maritime helicopter replacement program that both E.H. Industries and Sikorsky are out of the running even before the race gets started. The Sea King replacement specs prove that the Prime Minister is only interested in the Eurocopter Cougar.
Will the Prime Minister put politics aside for the sake of the military, make the bidding process fair and finally correct the mistake he made years ago when he cancelled the EH-101?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, as I said a moment ago, that cancellation is saving the taxpayers a lot of money. It is also getting us a better helicopter to meet our needs of today.
Furthermore what the government has adopted is a statement of requirement that was put forward by the Canadian forces, by the Department of National Defence, to make sure we meet the operational needs.
John Cummins Reform Delta—South Richmond, BC
Mr. Speaker, this morning in committee, fisheries officials made some startling admissions about the Miramichi lobster fishery. They admitted that lobster stocks are in serious decline. They admitted that the increased fishing had an adverse effect on conservation. What is most troubling is they admitted that they fudged catch numbers so that the minister could claim conservation was a priority.
Why are fisheries officials deliberately fudging numbers just to make the minister look good?
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, we did have officials go to the fisheries committee but certainly that is not what happened at the fisheries committee.
They were there to inform them about the Marshall situation and the actions we have taken on enforcement. The lobster stock is doing very well. Fisheries are doing well. It is one of the best maintained fisheries that we have. We want to make sure that we continue to maintain that fishery so that our fishermen and all Canadians can benefit from that resource. We will continue to do that.
John Cummins Reform Delta—South Richmond, BC
Mr. Speaker, the minister ought to expedite the publication of the blues so that he can straighten himself up about what went on this morning.
The fact is the minister's officials also admitted that enforcement on Miramichi Bay was determined by their view of public opinion, not conservation or the rule of law.
When did perception and image become more important than conservation?
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, once again the hon. member is making things up as he goes along.
Clearly the decisions we have made are based on conservation. Our scientists had a technical briefing and provided all the information as to the actions we have taken. Our actions are taken to make sure we conserve the resource. Conservation is our first priority. The hon. member should stick to the facts instead of making them up as he goes along.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Finance refused to confirm the Bloc Quebecois' forecasts putting the surplus at $20 billion this year. The minister justified his refusal by saying that he was waiting for the opinion of the country's top economists.
Since Standard & Poor's, the Toronto Dominion Bank, the Royal Bank and all the others are anticipating a surplus of between $18 and $21 billion, is it not time for the government to tell the truth and to admit that we must have a debate now on how to properly use that money?
Jim Peterson LiberalSecretary of State (International Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, the debate is getting better all the time.
Two years ago, the Bloc Quebecois asked for a mini budget because of a potential recession. Last year, it asked for a mini budget because of tax reductions. This year, it is because of a huge surplus.
As they say in baseball “Three strikes and you are out”.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, how could we not ask for corrective measures, when the Minister of Finance keeps fibbing and is off by 100% to 300% in his forecasts? We ask for corrective measures every year, but it is because the minister is not doing his job properly.
Instead of hiding behind budget forecasts that no longer make any sense, should the Prime Minister not table a mini budget that would include tax reductions, a temporary suspension of the excise tax on gasoline and corrective measures to the employment insurance program? These are the real issues, the real priorities, and the government has the means to take such measures. It must take action.
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I am truly pleased that the hon. member finds that things are going very well in Canada. I thank him for that.
I am very pleased to hear an opposition member say that the government is in a position to lower taxes and to take all sorts of measures.
I hope that, when we introduce bills to that effect, we will enjoy the support of the Bloc Quebecois.
Correctional Service CanadaOral Question Period
September 26th, 2000 / 2:35 p.m.
Okanagan—Coquihalla B.C.
Canadian Alliance
Stockwell Day Canadian AllianceLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, for the last several days Canadians have had to witness news reports of the partying and other excesses that go on in our jails, especially as related to Karla Homolka and her friends. We asked the solicitor general to simply put a stop to it. He said he could not.
Will the Prime Minister, who purports to represent the people, please give a direct order to his solicitor general to put an end to these painful displays that we as Canadians have to watch, and that the families of murdered victims have to watch? Would he please simply give the order to put an end to this now?
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Make no mistake about it, Mr. Speaker. I am not standing in the House to defend Karla Homolka. What I am defending is a system that works to protect public safety better than any other. Correctional Service Canada has a job to do. Offenders are punished and attempts are made to rehabilitate them. That is its mandate. That is what it is doing.
Stockwell Day Canadian AllianceLeader of the Opposition
It is amazing, Mr. Speaker, to see the Liberals applaud nothing happening to stop this. It goes on, whether we are talking about golfing, fishing or other activities that people in jail are allowed to do. We understand that drug users in jail are assisted in their drug and needle cleaning program by Correctional Service Canada, but diabetics—
Correctional Service CanadaOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order, please. I would hope that all members would want to listen to the questions. We listen to the answers. The hon. Leader of the Opposition may begin his question.
Stockwell Day Canadian Alliance Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister directly. There is the partying, the golfing and the fishing. Now we understand that drug users in our jails are provided with the ability to clean their needles and continue on with their own private drug program while hardworking Canadian diabetics must assume the costs of their own needle program.
Will the Prime Minister put a stop to this in the jails and send the message to Canadians, to families and to young people that we believe in being law-abiding citizens and there are rewards for that?
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, if my hon. colleague across the way is indicating there is a needle exchange program in the prison system, there is not.
Jocelyne Girard-Bujold Bloc Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, in secret, unbeknownst to anyone, the MOX arrived in Chalk River, Ontario, where Atomic Energy of Canada Limited will be doing experiments.
How could the minister of natural resources say in this House that he was complying with the recommendations of Dr. Edwin Lymann, the director of the Nuclear Control Institute in Washington, who says that Transport Canada took none of his comments into consideration?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, there was an extensive public review period with respect to this particular project. That review period together with all of the other procedures that applied were in complete compliance with the Canadian Nuclear Safety and Control Act, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
We have the most stringent regulatory regime in the world to protect public health and safety in the environment and we intend to keep it that way.
Jocelyne Girard-Bujold Bloc Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, how does the minister explain the transportation of MOX by air over Canada, when American law prohibits the transportation of this highly dangerous product in American airspace?
Why do the people of Canada need less protection from their government than the Americans do from theirs?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, in Canada we follow the laws of Canada, not the laws of the United States of America. Our practices in this regard are completely consistent for example with those that apply in Europe. MOX fuel has been transported in Europe by air since 1973 at the rate of at least six shipments per year. Obviously this is not out of the ordinary.