Debates of Oct. 31st, 2001

Finance

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons we are bringing down a budget is certainly to give projections and provide full details, which is what I intend to do.

Lumber Industry

[John Duncan, Canadian Alliance, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. lumber lobby has been harassing the Canadian forest industry for 20 years using U.S. department of commerce trade actions.

We had a 19.3% countervail tariff applied in August and now a 12.6% anti-dumping duty has been tacked on top.

More discussions are scheduled for November 12 in Washington. Will the minister now finally call a national stakeholders meeting to get the Canadian forest sector together prior to November 12?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I absolutely share the opposition member's frustration with American behaviour in the softwood lumber dispute. This is a file that is extremely complex, one in which the Americans have shown a lot of aggressiveness. They have listened far too narrowly up to now to the American protectionist producers.

I do very much believe that our narrow consultations with industry and our work in collaboration with the provinces will bear fruit. With our two track approach, one of litigation and one of discussions, I think we are going places.

[John Duncan, Canadian Alliance, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, that is not an answer. The 19.3% countervail expires on December 16 and the anti-dumping fees imposed today will be refundable if companies respond.

The minister is continuing to encourage negotiations with a format lending itself to predictable divide and conquer strategies employed by the U.S. department of commerce.

The minister has no mandate to do this. Will he display leadership, call the national stakeholders meeting and reinvigorate the Canadian position?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that the Canadian position is very strong and very clear, much shared by the stakeholders in the industry and much shared by the provincial governments that have contributed a great deal to the discussion track we are on.

We have agreed that we would not embark into negotiations without having another stakeholders meeting. We are not negotiating. It is absolutely wrong to say that provinces are negotiating individual deals. The department of international trade and the government are co-ordinating and leading these talks, but 90% of the U.S. allegations are on provincial programs and there is--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Joliette.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the continuing saga of softwood lumber, the Americans unilaterally imposed countervailing duties of 19.3% last spring.

Today the U.S. department of commerce added anti-dumping duties of 12.58% for a total of over 32% penalty duties.

Now that we know the Americans' response and that thousand of jobs are at stake, what does the Minister for International Trade intend to do to help the industry and its workers?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, we in the government are extremely frustrated that the American administration has paid too much attention to protectionist producers and penalized itself and its economy once again, when it is much more vulnerable, by imposing taxes of 32% on consumers in a sector of the economy that is still vigorous. The member for Joliette is absolutely right.

Our government will continue to co-ordinate discussions and we would greatly appreciate the co-operation of the provinces which have jurisdiction over natural resources. I would say one thing—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Joliette.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the Minister for International Trade has said, the representatives of the softwood lumber industry are furious because they have been left out and there has been no meeting of all the stakeholders since May.

Why is the minister not calling a meeting of the stakeholders, especially industry members, and assuming leadership in the matter of softwood lumber.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, we are in constant contact with the industry and have vigorously represented the interests of the Canadian industry in each of our actions.

The timeframe we are working with accurately reflects industry demands.

I would suggest the opposition member consult the industry and not simply listen to a single producer.

We will have the meeting at the appropriate time based on our present discussions and dialogue which are proving productive.

Anti-Terrorism Legislation

[Vic Toews, Canadian Alliance, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, despite the attempt of the Prime Minister to stop the Liberals from speaking out, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Minister of State for Multiculturalism now have expressed their concerns over the targeting of minorities by the anti-terrorist legislation introduced by the Minister of Justice.

Will the minister advise the House why her legislation targets religious, political and ideological groups?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I made the claim yesterday, the legislation does not target religious, political or ideological groups. The legislation targets terrorist activities and terrorist organizations.

[Vic Toews, Canadian Alliance, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I would ask the minister to read her own legislation and read the definition.

Although our American allies have taken strong measures against the fight against terrorism, they did not consider it necessary to target minorities in their anti-terrorist legislation.

Why should the House agree to jeopardize the civil liberties of Canadians when the minister cannot explain why she wishes to do that?

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

Mr. Speaker, the legislation does not target minorities. In fact, as I have said, the legislation targets terrorist activities, terrorist organizations and those who would support them.

Pyrite

[Yolande Thibeault, Liberal, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of myself and the hon. member for Brossard--Laprairie, I want to ask the minister responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to inform this House on the progress of the negotiations with the province of Quebec regarding the assistance to be provided to homeowners whose property was damaged by pyrite.

[Alfonso Gagliano, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that an agreement was reached with the Government of Quebec. The government of Canada will make a financial contribution equivalent to 25% of the total cost of Quebec's program to provide financial assistance to the owners of residential buildings damaged, up to an amount of $17.5 million.

The Government of Canada and the government of Quebec are pleased with this agreement.

Solicitor General

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister and it has to do with the behaviour of the solicitor general yesterday who, as a maritimer, should perhaps be more familiar with the phrase about loose lips sinking ships.

Is the Prime Minister not the least bit concerned that the disclosing of the passing on of information so soon after the passing on of that information could jeopardize operations or compromise security? Would he at least assure the House that the solicitor general will not be announcing on a weekly basis what kind of tips they recently gave to the United States that were publicized in the United States?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, what I indicated yesterday is what I have indicated many times in the House, which is that CSIS shares information with its American counterparts and will continue to do so.

Lumber Industry

[Bev Desjarlais, NDP, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. government's new tariff on softwood lumber brings the total tariff to over 31%. Now it looks like the B.C. government is about to crack under pressure and cave in to U.S. demands to get the tariff removed.

If one province cuts a side deal with the U.S. it will undermine all provinces. Lumber industry groups, including the B.C. Lumber Council, are calling on all levels of government to stand firm and work toward a long term national solution for Canada.

Does the government agree with the industry that all provinces should stand together in forming united fronts against the U.S. attacks? If so, how will it keep a rogue provincial government like the B.C. Liberals from selling out--

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister for International Trade.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree with the member from the NDP that what we need is a Canadian approach to this. We have been working very hard at building a Canadian team. We have had the governments of British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta and Ontario working together. We have seen our industries more united than ever on the softwood lumber deal. We will not accept an individual deal by any province. We have already warned them about that.

The department of international trade is providing the leadership and the co-ordination at these discussions and we are going places with these talks.

Anti-Terrorism Legislation

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

Mr. Speaker, recent public comments from certain cabinet ministers showed a real concern for possible civil liberty infringements found in Bill C-36. There is reason to fear that excessive party discipline may stifle contrary opinions from within the Liberal ranks.

In these uncertain and challenging times, Liberal members of parliament should be free to speak up without reprisals from the Prime Minister.

Will the Prime Minister commit today to allowing for free votes both in the House and in committee on this extremely important legislation?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have a very solid coalition on this side of the House and we always have very lively debate in caucus. However when the decision is made by the party and the government, the people support both the party and the government.

The Economy

[Scott Brison, Progressive Conservative, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, in 1990 the current finance minister said that he would “manage the decline of the Canadian dollar so that it settles at its true value of 78 cents U.S.” Since 1993, the finance minister has successfully managed the decline of the Canadian dollar to a record low today of 62.96 cents.

Is the finance minister's hidden agenda to try to manage the Canadian dollar right out of existence, to de-value it to a point where he can justify accepting a North American common currency through dollarization? Is that why he is passing the buck on the Canadian dollar?