Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers are watching anxiously as ministers from around the world gather in Doha this week in an attempt to launch a new round of negotiations at the WTO.

They have seen export subsidies in other countries drive down the price they are receiving for the crops they grow. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food outline for the House Canada's objectives for agriculture during the upcoming WTO meeting in Doha?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Hastings—Frontenac—Lennox And Addington Ontario

Liberal

Larry McCormick LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers deserve the best. Global agricultural trade reform is a priority for Canada as it is for many of our trading partners.

As a leading trading nation, Canada has a vital interest in further strengthening the international rules that govern agricultural trade. We want to achieve fundamental reforms in the area of market access, domestic support, export compliance and export competition.

That is why, for this fourth WTO ministerial meeting in Doha, Canada is calling on the WTO members to agree to the launch of a broader round of trade negotiations. This would enable the achievement of a more ambitious and far reaching--

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Wild Rose.

G-8 SummitOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Myron Thompson Canadian Alliance Wild Rose, AB

Mr. Speaker, we know that the mayor of Quebec City is still waiting to be reimbursed for hosting major international summits. Quebec is owed $6 million in security and related costs while Windsor was just paid $4 million for hosting the Organization of American States over a year and a half ago.

Will the finance minister issue a substantial downpayment to Calgary, Canmore and Banff in advance of the G-8 summit in Kananaskis?

G-8 SummitOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Cardigan P.E.I.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, as I said to my hon. colleague, we are dealing with the city of Calgary, we are dealing with the Calgary police and we will fulfil our commitment to this conference.

G-8 SummitOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Myron Thompson Canadian Alliance Wild Rose, AB

Mr. Speaker, we do not know when that will be. We know that in Quebec City the budget for the summit of the Americas was $65 million. The actual cost was more than $300 million.

The challenges associated with the G-8 summit in Kananaskis extend far beyond what they were in Quebec City.

Is the finance minister prepared to budget sufficient funds now, or will he leave Calgary and Canmore holding the bag?

G-8 SummitOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Cardigan P.E.I.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I can assure my hon. colleague that the government has, as always, fulfilled its commitments to all of these conferences.

We will work with all provincial and municipal police forces to make sure we are able to hold these conferences and show terrorists that we can operate in this country.

Publishing IndustryOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC

Mr. Speaker, last week, François Picard, the publisher of the newspaper Atout Micro condemned the behaviour of a subcontractor of Heritage Canada, who demanded the names of his subscribers and their credit card number as proof of the accuracy of his production run for subsidy purposes.

Could the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us whether this is a common practice and whether she approves of such a practice?

Publishing IndustryOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Hamilton East Ontario

Liberal

Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, I find it normal that a check be conducted when someone is getting federal subsidies. This is normal.

International TradeOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Bryon Wilfert Liberal Oak Ridges, ON

Mr. Speaker, Canada believes that the WTO growth and development round will address the objectives and concerns of developing countries. Canada, along with other WTO members, has been working hard to demonstrate to developing countries that the new round will assist their development efforts.

I would ask the Minister for International Trade, what specific steps or proposals is the government prepared to make with regard to this round?

International TradeOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade

Mr. Speaker, indeed Canada has been very active, along with our Quad partners, in efforts to accommodate the developing countries. We want them to be in a position to benefit fully from their partnership in the WTO. There needs to be some capacity building there.

We need to make sure that they can get the full benefits of their membership. We need to do further work on implementation measures. We need to give them some better market access. We need to make sure that we do agricultural reform trade because that is what the south needs. We want these countries fully engaged in the WTO.

Lumber IndustryOral Question Period

November 5th, 2001 / 2:55 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Rick Borotsik Progressive Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister today has raised the ante with respect to trade with the United States. Today in response to a question on softwood lumber he said that there would be a linkage between oil and gas exports and softwood lumber. He said that.

When he has his weekly meetings with the president of the United States does he tell the president that there will be no future sales of oil and gas unless the softwood lumber industry is resolved?

Lumber IndustryOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Saint-Maurice Québec

Liberal

Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, that is really stretching it. I will just say that we want good trade relations with the Americans on every aspect of trade.

We signed a free trade agreement with them some years ago that has been good for Canada, that has been good for the United States and that has been good for Mexico.

We want the same thing, but it has to be reciprocal. That is what I tell them all the time.

The BudgetOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

NDP

Bill Blaikie NDP Winnipeg—Transcona, MB

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. It has to do with the polls that show that there is considerable support for spending on infrastructure and other things that are needed in this country.

I wonder whether the Minister of Finance, and it probably would not be the first time he has listened to a poll in his life, would indicate to the House that he is open to stimulating the economy in that way and making sure that a lot of the environmental, social and transportation infrastructure and other things that need to be done in the country get done through his budget.

The BudgetOral Question Period

3 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is one budget behind. As he knows, in the last budget we brought in an extensive program in environmental infrastructure, in road infrastructure and in housing. The fact is that a number of these programs, because of delays in provinces, have not gone ahead as quickly as we would like.

We are certainly prepared. The minister in charge of the treasury board has said that she would accelerate all these programs, as has the minister of energy who is responsible for climate change. I can assure the hon. member that we are prepared to proceed with these as quickly as possible.

World March of WomenOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Bloc

Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC

Mr. Speaker, last week marked the first anniversary of the World March of Women. This march, which took place in 158 countries around the world, set forth demands to improve living conditions for women, including women in Quebec and Canada.

Could the Secretary of State for the Status of Women give us an update today on what steps and action the government has taken to respond to the World March of Women demands?

World March of WomenOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Vancouver Centre B.C.

Liberal

Hedy Fry LiberalSecretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)

Mr. Speaker, I am really glad the hon. member asked that question. We have taken a great number of steps to deal with issues such as violence against women and issues such as poverty. I can only point to the child tax benefit as one very important initiative that we have taken to deal with the issue of poor families and their children.

We have dealt with the issue of homelessness. We have helped to set up shelters and transition homes so that women who are facing violence can have somewhere to go in order to feel safe.

My colleague, the Minister of Human Resource Development, has worked with skill--