House of Commons Hansard #132 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was waste.
Auberge Grand-MèreOral Question Period
Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
Brian Tobin LiberalMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, the only thing sordid and pathetic in all of this is that while most members of parliament are concerned about the real issues that affect Canadians where they live, that party and that party only asks questions that can go nowhere, that are designed to attack the integrity of the Prime Minister, that are not based on fact and that attack the credibility and the integrity of the RCMP.
That is sordid, pathetic and out of line.
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, integrity and parliamentary accountability are pretty important but maybe not to the minister.
The RCMP and investigations are supposed to be confidential, he tells us. In the raid of François Beaudoin's home yesterday morning it appears that reporters learned about the seizure before Mr. Beaudoin and his attorney.
I suggest this is entirely within the responsibility of the solicitor general to know and explain this highly suspect occurrence where reporters get the head's up about an RCMP raid.
Will the solicitor general tell us, did he know?
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, again my hon. colleague and his party continually want to destroy the credibility of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The fact is that there is a process to take if they have a problem with the actions of the RCMP. It is certainly obvious that they have a big problem with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. If they do, there is a public complaints commission that they can bring their complaint to.
Cheryl Gallant Canadian Alliance Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, the House leader said that the new legislation on cloning and stem cell research would not be introduced until May. Summer will come and still no laws against cloning will be on the books.
The health committee worked very hard to table the report before Christmas because this is an urgent matter.
Will the health minister promise that legislation will be introduced before the end of March at the latest?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, this subject is a priority for me and for the government. We will introduce legislation as early as possible in the new year.
Cheryl Gallant Canadian Alliance Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, human life should not be created in order to be destroyed.
The health minister himself said that just because we can do something, does not mean that we should. Yesterday we heard him say that we should have embryonic stem cell research because it was allowed in other countries. That is very shaky ethics.
Will the minister ensure that embryos are protected through legislation?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, we undertook the most democratic, indeed unprecedented procedure known to parliament in putting before the health committee, on which all parties were represented, draft legislation that included embryonic research.
The committee spent eight months listening to many witnesses. It came back with a report recommending that embryonic stem cell research be permitted under certain circumstances.
We intend to pay close attention to the recommendations of the report. We are now preparing legislation. We will introduce it at the earliest possible date.
Jocelyne Girard-Bujold Bloc Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, under the existing infrastructure program, there are hundreds of projects in Quebec all ready to start. The only thing missing is the funding to carry them out.
Does the Minister of Finance realize that the only thing he did in announcing his foundation was reveal to us his latest discovery for holding up investments in infrastructure until 2003?
Infrastructure ProgramOral Question Period
December 14th, 2001 / 11:50 a.m.
Don Valley East Ontario
Liberal
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, there is no agreement on the infrastructure program with Quebec at the moment. We are prepared to work with the province, especially in the field of transportation.
Jocelyne Girard-Bujold Bloc Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, this is the third time since 1993 that the government has announced an infrastructure program.
The first two times, the programs were managed by the governments. Now the minister is establishing a foundation.
Since the process worked well for the first two programs, why, all of a sudden, with the third program, is the Minister of Finance creating a foundation? What has changed to cause them to function differently now?
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, a look at the demand for infrastructure throughout Canada indicates an enormous demand.
What is needed is a vehicle for private sector and governments to plan. This continuity is very important. This is why we established the foundation.
Now, in response to the member's first question, perhaps she could suggest to her friends in the PQ government that they stop delaying and sign the agreement so things can get under way?
John Duncan Canadian Alliance Vancouver Island North, BC
Mr. Speaker, for the last five months the minister created an agenda whereby softwood exporting provinces have made proposals to the U.S. with no actual return proposal from the U.S. until last Friday.
From a negotiating standpoint, this poorly represents provincial interests, tips the scales in favour of the U.S. and has allowed his department to follow the 1996 softwood lumber bad bargaining handbook.
When will the minister accept that a deal at any cost is not a good deal?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I do not know where the member has been for the last few months but that is exactly what we have been trying to avoid, the 1995-96 scenario.
We will negotiate a very good trade deal with the United States for our Canadian producers. That is the objective of our government.
We have been able to work with all the provincial governments and with industry. Indeed, for the first time the Americans have even tabled a written document, which they had not done in the earlier difficulties we have had with them. That is progress.
John Duncan Canadian Alliance Vancouver Island North, BC
Mr. Speaker, after five months of one-sided negotiations where the Canadian provinces have done all the talking, we now find out that the first U.S. proposal contains no guarantee of market access or protection from harassment.
If the long running script orchestrated by the minister requires all provinces to buy in, good luck. When will the minister stop being a cheerleader and start being a real negotiator?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, we are having a federal-provincial conference on Monday morning. I have been very impressed by all the provinces' expression of appreciation for the leadership provided by the Government of Canada in the discussions with the United States.
For once the United States has not been able to divide and conquer us. This is the kind of leadership we have been providing. We are going places because we will have free trade in softwood lumber in the United States.
Hélène Scherrer Liberal Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada's toll free 1-800-O-Canada number has been featured in government publicity for several years now.
Could the minister responsible for communications on behalf of Canada give this House a progress report on this initiative to meet Canadians' information requirements?
Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that this evening 1-800-O-Canada will be receiving the 2001 award of excellence, Service Quality Measurement, for customer services.
Close to 40,000 Canadians dial 1-800-0-Canada weekly to get quick and accurate information on the Government of Canada's programs, policies and services.
My congratulations to all of the employees in the 1-800-0-Canada call centre for their excellent work.
Deepak Obhrai Canadian Alliance Calgary East, AB
Mr. Speaker, yesterday a representative of the city of Toronto said “After the city receives a voters' list there is a revision period during which an elector may delete his or her name or otherwise correct information on the list pertaining to an elector”.
Clearly the fault lies with the CIDA minister. Will she take responsibility for her own actions and resign?
Minister for International CooperationOral Question Period
Don Valley East Ontario
Liberal
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister have addressed this question a number of times in the past week. I think the hon. member should allow the ethics counsellor to do his work which is to see what, if any, problems there were with the alleged conduct of my colleague, the Minister for International Cooperation, rather than dredge up individual details here in the House of Commons.
Deepak Obhrai Canadian Alliance Calgary East, AB
Mr. Speaker, we do not have any confidence in the ethics counsellor at this time.
Let us look at the facts. The CIDA minister attended a terrorist fundraising dinner against the advice of officials. She handed out $75,000 in bogus contracts to campaign cronies. Now we know she voted illegally to assist a friend in Toronto.
The record of bad judgment may be acceptable to the Prime Minister but Canadians demand a higher standard.
Again, will she resign or not?
Minister for International CooperationOral Question Period
Don Valley East Ontario
Liberal
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, this is what we get every day from the Alliance members. They make allegations but do not give the minister a chance to explain her actions.
Furthermore, what has the member done this morning? He has attacked the integrity of a public servant, the ethics counsellor, and he should be ashamed of himself.
Stéphan Tremblay Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean—Saguenay, QC
Mr. Speaker, I suppose that the Minister of Finance knows that $1 out of every $2 dollars traded on financial markets comes from pension funds.
It seems clear that billions of dollars belonging to workers are one of the major forces driving globalization but workers are largely unaware of the social and environmental impacts that their savings are having.
Since countries such as Great Britain, Germany, Australia and France have already introduced legislation to encourage socially responsible investing, does the Minister of Finance agree with the principle that the managers of pension funds should operate more transparently and publish the human, social and environmental criteria taken into account in their choice of investments?
Paul Martin Liberal LaSalle—Émard, QC
Mr. Speaker, the criteria for federally regulated pension funds are very transparent.
I agree entirely with the basic principle put forward by the hon. member. At the same time, however, it should be pointed out that the majority of pension funds are provincially regulated.
Larry Bagnell Liberal Yukon, YT
Mr. Speaker, as this is the last sitting day before we adjourn for the holiday season, could the Minister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons please review for us what we have accomplished in this place?
Don Boudria LiberalMinister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased that we are ending the year with the best question of the year, if I can say so.
Thanks to the co-operation of all hon. members, not the least of which of course is the excellent work of the Liberal members of the House of Commons, the House has passed 49 bills in 2001, including 21 since September. These were bills involving public safety, aboriginal rights, the security of Canadians and an excellent budget by the Minister of Finance. We just could not get it any better.