Debates of Oct. 18th, 2001

Coast Guard

[James Lunney, Canadian Alliance, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the United States has asked Canada for help on a number of fronts in the battle against terrorism. One area in which we have been asked to lend assistance is marine communications and traffic services.

This branch of the coast guard functions as our eyes and ears by monitoring all vessel traffic along our coasts. It is an essential link in our defence of vital seaways such as the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the gateway to Vancouver and Seattle.

At a time when circumstances call for heightened vigilance it is shocking to learn that further cutbacks in services are being contemplated. Unfortunately the coast guard's traffic service has been underfunded for years and the situation has reached crisis proportions.

This morning at committee witnesses expressed their concern that the crisis could lead to an otherwise preventable disaster. I encourage the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to restore funding immediately. Effective monitoring of vessel traffic along our coastlines and into our ports is more important now than ever.

Persons Case

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to congratulate this year's recipients of the Governor General's award in commemoration of the Persons Case. The six women who have been honoured for helping achieve greater equality between women and men have all made a significant difference in the lives of women.

This year's recipients are Vera Danyluk, Linda Silver Dranoff, Kathleen Mahoney, Lynda Sorensen, Anila Umar, and Madeleine Gaudet of Fredericton of whom I am particularly proud. Madeleine is a good friend and a deserving candidate. A minute does not allow me to begin to describe her many accomplishments.

All the individuals being honoured today have fought for women in all walks of life and are role models for all of us.

National Co-Op Week

[Dick Proctor, NDP, Palliser, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian co-ops and credit unions are alive and well in Canada and play an important economic and social role in all of our communities.

Co-ops are found in every sector of our economy including health and housing. The Calgary Consumer Co-op is the largest in North America. The Mountain Equipment Co-op specializes in high-tech and wilderness gear. The Prairie Dog is an alternative co-operative newspaper in Regina.

In the future I believe that co-ops will offer some positive alternatives to some of the negative effects of globalization.

As a proud credit union member myself there is much to celebrate in saluting all co-ops and credit unions, their volunteers and employees. I wish to acknowledge two individuals directly, Dan Palsich in northwest Saskatchewan, a 30 year co-operator, and Bill Knight from southeast Saskatchewan who steps down later this year after a six year stint as president and CEO of the Credit Union Central of Canada.

Member for Louis-Hébert

[Richard Marceau, Bloc, Charlesbourg—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote the words of one of my colleagues, expressing her delight over municipal amalgamations in the Quebec City area. She said “This will get people going. It will force them to play a new role”. The words of a die-hard péquiste? Think again.

These comments were made by the Liberal member for Louis-Hébert. And people are right to be astonished; after all, was this not the same person who rode around with anti-amalgamation posters on her campaign trailer in November 2000?

Quebec City voters are entitled to wonder why today's member no longer stands behind what she said as a candidate. Is she, like many Liberals, trying to have it both ways? Someone should ask her.

Faced with such inconsistency, it is hardly surprising that our fellow citizens are cynical about politics.

Status of Women

[Hélène Scherrer, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in 1929, women gained the right to own and manage property and the right to vote. However, they still could not sit in the Senate, on the ground that they were not persons.

A small group of career and intellectual women, better known now as the “Famous Five”, was formed to clarify the issue of women's eligibility to a Senate appointment.

These women took their case to the supreme court, but since that court did not rule in their favour, they went to the Privy Council of Great Britain, then the highest court of appeal for Canadians.

Today, I am proud to celebrate Persons Day, which commemorates the October 18, 1929 decision of the Privy Council of Great Britain, which ruled that women were indeed persons within the meaning of the law.

The efforts of the “Famous Five” are an example of courage, integrity and solidarity for Canadians--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for St. John's East.

Poverty

[Norman E. Doyle, Progressive Conservative, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, this week we mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Some years ago the House unanimously passed a motion to eliminate child poverty in Canada by the year 2000. Not only has child poverty not been eliminated, it has actually increased. Food banks and school lunch programs abound all across our nation.

Impoverished children come from impoverished families. Canada is a prosperous nation by international standards but wealth in this nation is not always equitably distributed. The unemployed, single parent families and aboriginal families have great difficulty making ends meet. In many third world countries outright famine is a cruel daily reality.

It is time to rededicate ourselves to the eradication of poverty and we would do well to remember that poverty, wherever it exists, is everybody's business.

Emergency Response System

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report to the House that none of the suspicious packages received on the Hill this week contained anthrax or any other biological substance. Indeed, none of the suspicious incidents reported elsewhere in Canada contained biological agents.

I want to emphasize that there are no reported cases of anthrax in Canada.

The response proves that our Emergency Response System works just as it should, efficiently and effectively. From the first responders, Hill security, police, hazardous material specialists and the fire department to our Health Canada personnel who tested the suspect material and the RCMP who were ready to transport the material to our lab in Winnipeg, the response was tremendous.

I want to recognize all those involved and thank them for their efforts. Canadians should be reassured that the system works and will continue to work to protect everyone.

Anti-Terrorism Legislation

[Stockwell Day, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the United States and British anti-terrorism legislation, Canadian anti-terrorism legislation does not deal effectively with the area of detaining and deporting those people who would want to abuse the freedoms of Canada and Canadians. The RCMP's anti-terrorism unit has even indicated that some terrorist cells operating in Canada use bogus refugee claims and bogus health and welfare to operate in Canada.

As the government is being forced to restrict the rights of innocent Canadians with anti-terrorism legislation, why is it so worried about offending those who want to come here to abuse those freedoms?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the immigration and refugee protection act, which is presently before the Senate, deals with a number of the issues to which the hon. Leader of the Opposition has referred. It deals with the powers to detain and, whenever we have evidence that anyone poses a security threat, we do detain. It also sets out the rules very clearly for streamlining processes. I, as well as everyone, has been concerned about how long it takes for us to determine that someone is not eligible to stay in Canada and to deport them.

[Stockwell Day, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, that is not the case.

While the government is increasing police powers, the Liberals are still refusing to plug big holes in an immigration act that allows potential terrorists to enter our country.

Will the minister finally pledge to ensure that refugee status claimants who show up at our airports without adequate documents are detained, and even deported if their claims are deemed to pose a threat to our security?

That is what other countries do. Why not do the same?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, we are taking steps to improve the integrity of both the refugee determination and the immigration system. Bill C-11 requires security screening for refugees at the first instance. That is the first step in the procedure. The new legislation stops repeat claims, which was an abuse and we recognized that. It also clogged up the system.

The minister will be able to intervene in cases where we believe someone is inadmissible to Canada. The inadmissibility provisions in Canada state that if someone poses a security threat, is a criminal or a terrorist, the person is inadmissible to Canada. If we have evidence--

[The Speaker]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Stockwell Day, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, that is just not the case.

Canadians are not worried about the vast majority of immigrants and bona fide refugees. They are welcome here. They are worried about the small group of people who want to use Canada as a base for crime and terror.

We should be doing more to help genuine refugees who are stuck in refugee camps around the world.

Why will the minister not stop the rhetoric and bring in clear and specific measures that will allow authorities in Canada to detain and deport, if necessary, those who want to come to this country and use it as a base for terrorist activity?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada will never allow terrorists to hurt our commitment and our humanitarian tradition to help those who are in genuine need of our protection. We stand firm on that.

However we recognized that the immigration and refugee protection act needed amendment and I brought that forward. We believe that Bill C-11 gives us the tools to determine who is in genuine need of our protection and who is not, factored in a fair way. We want to be able to remove those who are inadmissible to Canada as quickly as possible.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am not quite sure the Senate agrees with the minister.

In June 1998 the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration recommended, and I quote:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada should detain in cases where the identity of a person is not established.

The minister refused.

Why does the minister allow even one solitary soul who comes to Canada without proper documentation to wander our streets freely?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, we are making the system work better and faster. We are keeping it fair. I want the member to know that whenever we have a concern about the identity of an individual, we can and we do detain. That is in the existing act and it is also in Bill C-11. He is creating the wrong impression.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is my fault for telling the truth.

Every year at least 5,000 people come to Canada without proper documentation claiming to be refugees. How many of those individuals this year has the minister detained? How many this year?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I want the member and all Canadians to know that whenever an immigration official has evidence or is concerned that an individual poses a security threat to Canada, or that an individual will not show up for a hearing, or is not satisfied as to an individual's identity, the official can and does detain. Immigration officials have the authority to detain anyone who concerns them. That is their job and they are doing it well.

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

Mr. Speaker, a solid coalition is required to fight terrorism effectively. That is true both on the international level and on the domestic level.

In order to retain a very strong coalition, the Minister of Justice must show more openness than she is at present.

Does the minister realize that she is weakening the coalition by the very position of her government, by refusing to acquiesce to the calls from Liberal and opposition MPs for major changes in the anti-terrorism legislation, concerning sunsets clauses for instance?

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

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the discussion that will begin this afternoon at committee.

My colleague, the solicitor general, and I will be appearing before committee and I know that members of the Bloc, as well as other opposition parties, have much to offer and advice to provide in relation to how we ensure we have effective terrorism legislation in this country.

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

Mr. Speaker, that is interesting. If this is the minister's objective, she had better talk about it with her colleague, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister speaks of a careful examination of the situation. The leader of the Government's attitude conflicts with the PM's, for he is trying at this time to bulldoze parliament, so much so that the senators are already examining the bill before we have finished with it.

Might it not be a better idea to take the time to make changes in a bill as important as the one we have before us at this time?

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

Mr. Speaker, no one intends to bulldoze parliament, or however else the hon. leader of the Bloc Quebecois put it in the House. This is not our intention.

Our intention is to give the bill thorough study, but within a time frame Canadians consider perfectly reasonable. This afternoon we will begin work in committee.

In the meantime, it will go for pre-study to a Senate committee, which could also have something to add to the House committee. There is nothing abnormal in that.

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, efficiency must not compromise the future.

The need for quick action against terrorism must not be at the cost of prudence. The Minister of Justice should know that prudence and urgency can go hand in hand.

Will the minister recognize that sunset clauses are essential to some of the clauses of the bill that have to do with exceptional measures, such as the case in the United States at the moment and in France, which has just done this in its ad hoc legislation?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated before, we considered this issue very carefully. The government has determined and we think the three year review provision is a fair and adequate mechanism of protection.

However, since I know there are strong views on this issue on all sides of the House, my colleagues and I look forward to engaging in this discussion at committee this afternoon.