House of Commons Hansard #114 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was wheat.
Pierrette Venne Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Speaker, with the United States perhaps about to capture Osama bin Laden, President Bush has just signed an order allowing his country to create special military tribunals for the purpose of trying foreign nationals, thus bypassing the American criminal justice system.
Does the Canadian government intend to make a strong argument to the U.S. government in favour of having the perpetrators of the attacks tried before an international civil court and nowhere else?
John Manley LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, our view is that, if people implicated in the attacks are arrested, they must be tried according to the rule of law. So far, however, this is a purely hypothetical question.
Joe Clark Progressive Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, will the Prime Minister tell the House today that he intends to match the almost half a million dollars in private donations made to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund in Toronto on the weekend?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, that is an idea we will certainly look at. I had an opportunity to speak with Mr. Mandela, but he had other priorities. He told me that he needed help in connection with the negotiations taking place in a neighbouring country, the Congo. He asked us to help the former president of Botswana. I said that I would, but if we can do more, we will consider the member's suggestion.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
Lisa Fithian, an American peace and labour activist, was arrested, strip-searched and jailed for two days by immigration authorities when she arrived in Ottawa last week to participate in peaceful, non-violent civil disobedience training for the G-20 meeting. Fithian had entered Canada on a number of occasions previously without any problem whatsoever.
I want to ask the minister, is this a taste of what is to come under the anti-terrorism legislation? Why was this woman arrested, strip-searched and jailed?
Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, the member knows that it is not proper for me to discuss individual cases here in the House of Commons or outside the House because of privacy legislation.
What I can tell him is that there are appropriate means to make discrete inquiry to ensure that someone is properly treated and that all of the activities that take place are done properly and appropriately.
It is up to an individual to convince the immigration officer that they have legitimate business in Canada before they are entitled to enter the country.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, next month the World Trade Organization will be bringing down its final decision on the dispute concerning Canada's dairy product export systems. Between 1999 and 2000, the value of Canadian dairy exports dropped close to 22%. An unfavourable WTO decision could mean an annual loss of $300 million for Quebec.
What concrete action does the Minister for International Trade plan to take to defend our system of supply management in the dairy industry?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member for Joliette is well aware, the Government of Canada has backed up the Government of Quebec fully in this matter.
We have defended the milk management issue and moreover thanks to my colleague, the minister of agriculture did so all last week during the very important discussions that were held in Doha.
Every time that the subject of agriculture came up, we made it perfectly clear that the supply management system in place in Canada was a permanent one, and part of our way of doing things. We are extremely pleased to have been able to meet Canadian objectives and to have protected our system.
Roy H. Bailey Canadian Alliance Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Mr. Speaker, since the Minister of Canadian Heritage is reportedly in the running for the leadership of the party opposite, I ask her, as part of her platform, will she make a pledge that the completion of the war museum will be one of her main priorities?
Canadian HeritageOral Question Period
The Speaker
I am sure the House would like to hear something about the war museum, but I am not sure this question falls within the administrative jurisdiction of the minister. Perhaps it could be treated as a question dealing with the war museum and not the leadership.
Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, not only am I pleased to tell the hon. member that we are moving ahead very quickly with the war museum but we already have a date for its opening. I hope on that date Prime Minister Jean Chrétien will be able to be at the opening.
Canadian HeritageOral Question Period
The Speaker
The minister compounds the error by referring to a member by his name.
Presence in GalleryOral Question Period
The Speaker
I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of Sir Curtis Strachan, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Grenada, accompanied by the delegates to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Seminar, who include the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Mr. Art Donahoe.
Presence in GalleryOral Question Period
The Speaker
I would also like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of His Excellency Mr. Mazaheri, Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance of Iran.
Rob Anders Canadian Alliance Calgary West, AB
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege. Just prior to question period the member for Markham made a statement that was not accurate. I wish him to withdraw it.
John McCallum LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I have three points which suggest that my statement was accurate and perhaps I could mention them.
The first is that yesterday afternoon I received information that Nelson Mandela wanted to see “the fellow who opposed my nomination”. I immediately notified the Prime Minister's Office of that fact. The second point is that this morning a call was placed to the hon. member's office to call Nelson Mandela.
John McCallum Liberal Markham, ON
My contention is I did not make a mistake and I am offering facts to support it.
Nelson Mandela waited some minutes at the airport to receive the call and it was not received. Then as a consequence, protocol informed the PMO. The PMO called the hon. member's office and the representative from the PMO was told that a decision had been made not to make the call. That is the evidence on which I based my comment.
That having been said, the Prime Minister's Office remains open to facilitate a call should the member wish to make one at any time.
Rob Anders Canadian Alliance Calgary West, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's Office never called my office.
PrivilegeOral Question Period
The Speaker
We will hear a little more but I think we have a dispute here as to facts. There has been no withdrawal of the statement that was made. Under the circumstances, I do not know what else we can do except continue to argue about it which seems pointless to the Chair. The member says he has facts upon which he based it. It is not for me to make an adjudication on these facts.
John Reynolds Canadian Alliance West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC
Mr. Speaker, I will be very quick. A member of my caucus has asked a member of the other side to withdraw a statement because it was incorrect. The member can make all the statements he wants as to who made phone calls but the member is saying that the statement was incorrect. He is asking the member to withdraw it. Traditionally in parliament we withdraw statements that are inaccurate. I would ask the member to withdraw his statement.
PrivilegeOral Question Period
The Speaker
I will hear once more from the hon. member who already has given an explanation as to why he made the statement. If he does not withdraw, under these circumstances it is not for the Chair to insist upon a withdrawal because there is a dispute as to facts. The hon. member may speak if he wishes. Obviously the matter is a matter of dispute and it will have to be taken up in some other way. We sometimes have disagreements in the House as to facts.
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, I wish to update the House on the Canadian Forces' most recent contribution to the international campaign against terrorism.
Since September 11 Canada has provided important military support to the U.S. led coalition. We have known from the beginning that the overall campaign would be long and multidimensional, not just military. Our commitment to it has been firm and unshakeable.
Six weeks ago I announced the first of our contributions to the military effort aimed at eliminating the continuing terrorist threat posed by the al-Qaeda organization and its supporters and followers, including the Taliban. In doing so, Canada is acting within and with the support of the United Nations charter.
Article 51 of the charter preserves the inherent right of individual and collective self-defence. Security council resolutions 1368 and 1373 have expressly reaffirmed this right in the context of the tragic events of September 11. Canada has informed the security council that our international military response to terrorism is to collectively exercise the right of self-defence with our allies against the Taliban and the al-Qaeda, but we are also mindful that one of the objectives of the coalition is to assist with the humanitarian needs of the Afghani people.
In recent weeks, the situation in Afghanistan has evolved very quickly, and it remains fluid and unpredictable.
The Afghan people have suffered the effects of war for many years. Since 1997 they have suffered further under a stifling and repressive regime. They should suffer no longer.
As the Prime Minister has stated, all members of the coalition of nations have a responsibility to “provide a safe and secure environment for the Afghan people as soon as possible”. We are now taking action to fulfill our part of the commitment.
Our proposed contribution to the international coalition will include the 1,000 strong Immediate Reaction Force which comprises members of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry from Edmonton and a company of the 2nd Battalion of the PPCLI from Winnipeg. They are on a 48 hour notice to deploy.
This battalion consists of three infantry rifle companies, one engineer squadron, a headquarters, a combat support company of heavy weapons and an administrative company.
Current plans would have our ground forces working side by side with our coalition partners. Acting as a stabilization force in Afghanistan they would help create conditions that would allow humanitarian assistance to be delivered to the people of that country. Their role in securing entry points and corridors for the delivery of humanitarian aid by the United Nations and NGO organizations could be critical.
Our forces are ready and able to help restore safety and security to the country as required. Their actions will fully accord with the laws of armed conflict and Canadian rules of engagement.
The precise details of our role are still being determined in consultation with our allies but our reconnaissance team is prepared and ready to deploy. We are currently consulting with our coalition partners on the exact deployment schedule. The rest of the troops are prepared to deploy following completion of the reconnaissance mission.
Meanwhile the naval task force is in the Arabian Sea; the air force contingent to support an Airbus aircraft has been deployed to Germany as of last week; and three Hercules aircraft are ready to deploy with the Immediate Reaction Force.
The situation is not without risk for our Canadian force members but they are trained and equipped to meet the task that lies before them. At the same time our thoughts and prayers are with them and with their families whose support is vital to this mission.
Let me reiterate our continued commitment to the international coalition against terrorism.
Operation Apollo represents the largest deployment of Canadian troops since the Korean war. The size of our contribution is proof of our resolve in this effort.
We are committed to eliminating the threat of global terrorism so our citizens can live without fear. We are committed to rebuilding international peace and security. We are committed to ensuring the well-being of the Afghan people.
We will succeed because we are united in a common cause with our coalition partners. We will succeed because of the professionalism, dedication and skill of our Canadian forces personnel. We will succeed because we are secure in the knowledge that our cause is just and necessary.
