Debates of Nov. 19th, 2001

National Defence

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of National Defence.

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I think that kind of fearmongering is also a shame. We have fine, dedicated men and women who are using these helicopters, flying these helicopters. They have families back here who are concerned that they return safely. Their own pilots are saying, as I pointed out just a few moments ago, that they are safe to fly and they can do the job.

Employment Insurance

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the chief actuary for Human Resources Development Canada has announced that the EI surplus this year alone will total $8 billion.

This colossal surplus, accumulated at the expense of the unemployed, is clear evidence of the catastrophic effect of the cuts that have been made since 1994.

Is this anticipated total of the surplus not sufficient to make the government decide to implement the recommendation made in the unanimous report by the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development that the employment insurance program be improved to meet the real needs of the unemployed?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the hon. member that in the annual monitoring assessment report done by the Employment Insurance Commission, it indicates that fully 88% of all Canadians in paid employment would be eligible for employment insurance should they need it.

I would also point out that our government has continued to take a prudent and balanced approach to managing the employment insurance fund. I would suggest that in these uncertain economic times that formula continue to be the one we should follow.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we were been back in our ridings last week. All of us saw men, women and young people in our offices who have been the victims of the economic downturn.

The reality as we see it is that EI is no longer fulfilling its role, which is why the surplus is up to $8 billion.

How many billions do we need to get to before the minister will understand that her program does not provide sufficient protection to the unemployed?

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

Mr. Speaker, let me say again that the government has continued to take a balanced and prudent approach to managing employment insurance.

I would remind the House that as a result of Bill C-2 we have changed the system to benefit seasonal workers. If the Bloc would have had its way, that bill would never have passed and the 340,000 Quebecers who are now benefiting from those changes, from the elimination of the intensity rule, for example, would not have received their repayments if it had been up to the Bloc.

National Defence

[Cheryl Gallant, Canadian Alliance, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the 3rd Battalion of Princess Patricia's Light Canadian Infantry was picked to go to Afghanistan because it has a parachute company of ex-Canadian airborne regiment soldiers.

The British and the U.S. have sent in parachute battalions. Why does the Minister of National Defence continue to misinform Canadians when he states that Canada does not need an airborne regiment?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member has answered her own question. There are those capabilities of doing this in other parts of the forces. In fact, all of the capabilities that were once with the airborne regiment do exist in various parts. They better suit our needs and what we need today in the Canadian forces. We have no intention of putting an airborne regiment back in place.

[Cheryl Gallant, Canadian Alliance, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the disbanding of the third Princess Pats would mean a third of Canada's remaining para-capability would be gone. The Canadian army needs to add an airborne regiment to the other three brigades just to keep up with the commitments the government has promised.

Canada needs para-capability as part of its NATO membership requirements. Is the real reason the government is cutting para-capability not so that it will not be asked to participate in NATO operations?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, that is absolute nonsense. We have made no decision with respect to cutting any regiments whatsoever. The army is always looking at different options and its modernization and what are its needs for today and tomorrow. No such recommendation has been made by it to me. No such decision has been made by the government.

Employment Insurance

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the only way to be just to employment insurance contributors would be to set up a separate fund, so as to know exactly what surpluses are generated by the fund and how that money should be used.

For reasons of honesty, transparency and fairness, should the Minister of Finance not tell the truth to EI contributors by setting up a separate fund that he would not be able to raid as he pleases and as he has been doing for several years, at the expense of the unemployed and of contributors?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, in 1986, the auditor general insisted that the government's consolidated fund include the employment insurance fund. We are complying with the auditor general's request.

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government is dipping into the fund.

The plan that the Bloc Quebecois presented to the Minister of Finance to support the economy includes a two month EI contribution holiday for companies.

What is the minister waiting for to take advantage of the huge $8 billion surplus and follow up on our suggestion to support the economy, this at a time when it needs it badly?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the plan proposed by the Bloc Quebecois would put us in a deficit almost immediately—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, LaSalle—Émard, QC]

—and this is not our intention. In fact, this is not what Canadians want.

Terrorism

[Jason Kenney, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, certain terrorist front groups continue to operate with impunity in Canada. They raise money in Canada to buy arms and explosives and sometimes they extort money from unwilling immigrants through gang activity.

Will the government commit today to freezing the assets of all organizations which it has identified as terrorist fundraising fronts?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, the government has put a process in place to make sure the assets of individuals or groups involved with terrorists are frozen. That has been done and will continue to be done.

[Jason Kenney, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, one organization that has not been listed, an organization identified by the U.S. government, the Sri Lankan government and this Minister of Justice as a fundraising front for the Tamil tigers, is an organization called FACT.

Could it be that this organization has not been listed because the ministers of finance and CIDA attended a fundraising dinner for it last year?

Will the Prime Minister ask the finance minister to recuse himself from any decisions involving listing FACT, which his government has identified as a terrorist front, given the finance minister's conflict of interest?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is always the same thing. They are happy when they are throwing dirt.

I have confidence in the Minister of Finance. He was present at this meeting with a lot of people supporting a minority population in Canada. It is shameful that they treat that type of--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Hamilton Mountain.

International Trade

[Beth Phinney, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister for International Trade returned last week from the World Trade Organization meeting in Qatar where Canada agreed to participate in the new round of negotiations. There has been a lot of talk about this being a development round.

Will the minister tell the House what this means to Canadians?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be back in the House having been in a position with all 142 countries of the planet to launch a new trade round at the WTO. I am very pleased because Canada has been able to meet all of its objectives.

I want to commend the work of my colleague, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, who has been able to put agriculture on the table. This is great news for Canadian farmers. We have also been able to adopt a TRIPS amendment that demonstrates all the flexibility we need for public health systems around the world.

Anti-Terrorism Legislation

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice who has argued in recent weeks, in defence of Bill C-36, that September 11 changed the world.

Unfortunately for Canadians, who are worried about Bill C-36, they might be less worried if they felt that the government's attitude toward peaceful protesters had changed. Yet that does not seem to have been the case this weekend in Ottawa.

Is the minister not concerned about the treatment of some peaceful protesters on the weekend? Will she be asking for a report from those in charge and making a statement in the House as to how this supports her position on Bill C-36?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the government has always supported peaceful protest. However, what we will not support is violence.