Debates of Feb. 15th, 2001

Auditor General

[Deepak Obhrai, Canadian Alliance, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Transelec, which is owned by Claude Gauthier, the friend of the Prime Minister, did not qualify for CIDA qualifications. It was not Canadian owned and failed CIDA's criteria for bidding on the contract.

Yet the minister did not disqualify this company. The minister broke her own rules. Was it because she was dealing with the friend of the Prime Minister?

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Minister for International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, first, with respect to the ownership a reputable auditing firm confirmed that Transelec was in fact in conformity with the rules.

Second, as I said, the list of companies came through the officials. It went to the minister and seven companies were selected. One of them was Transelec. They went to bid and Transelec bid 30% below any other bidder, or $2 million less. The project is finished and taxpayers have saved money.

Employment Insurance

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as the government floats in billions of dollars, 60% of the unemployed, primarily young people and women, do not get employment insurance benefits. The surpluses in the employment insurance fund are applied to the debt, while these people are being denied benefits.

How can the government persist in its cuts to employment insurance, when nearly $6 billion of its surpluses comes directly from the surpluses in the employment insurance fund?

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

Mr. Speaker, I remind the hon. member that we have taken a very balanced approach when it comes to employment insurance.

On the one hand, since taking office in 1993 we have been able to reduce the premiums paid by employers and employees every year, saving $6.4 billion to those Canadians. On the other hand, we have been able to increase the benefits, not the least of which we have seen a doubling of parental benefits for all Canadians.

We have before the House a bill of amendments that I hope the hon. member will support because they do go to directly supporting Canadians in this regard.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, billions of dollars are landing on the finance minister's desk, making a lie of his predictions, once again. At the same time, many people are being rejected when they apply for employment insurance benefits.

So, while it is swimming in surpluses, would this government explain to women and young people, to whom prosperity is denied and who pay contributions, why they will not be entitled to benefits if they are unemployed?

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

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member is forgetting that over two million more Canadians are working today than there were in 1993. She is forgetting that the unemployment rate for women in Canada is at its lowest rate in 25 years. She is forgetting that the unemployment rate for young people in Canada has continuously come down.

That speaks well to the new and dynamic economy and the connection that young people have for it, but we will ensure that the benefits of the employment insurance program are there for Canadians when they need them and when they find themselves between jobs.

Justice

[Vic Toews, Canadian Alliance, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, today the supreme court has rendered a political decision that will create a safe haven for any violent criminal, Canadian or otherwise, who comes to Canada to escape the law in the country where the crime was committed.

With this decision, the Texas seven who murdered a police officer in the United States would be safe in Canada. What will the minister do to ensure that Canadians are protected from these kinds of criminals?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am appalled that a former attorney general of a province of this country would so misrepresent the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada today.

In fact the Supreme Court of Canada upheld my ability to extradite those who have committed offences in other countries back to those countries so they can stand trial for their crimes.

[Vic Toews, Canadian Alliance, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the supreme court by its decision today demonstrated that the rule of law was secondary to a political agenda.

The Americans are concerned that Canada is a safe haven for terrorists. Now the supreme court has effectively put out the welcome mat for other murderers. What will the minister do to stop these potential murderers and terrorists from coming to Canada?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, today in the case of Burns and Rafay the Supreme Court of Canada upheld my ability and my discretion to extradite those who are accused of committing crimes in other countries.

Again I come back to the point that I find it appalling that a member of the official opposition would so misrepresent a decision of the supreme court and scare the Canadian public into believing that this country will be a safe haven for criminals and felons from other countries. It will not.

Free Trade Area Of The Americas

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in early January the Minister for International Trade announced a period of public consultations with business people and the public in preparation for discussions on the free trade agreements with Central American countries.

Now, a month and a half later, the Minister for International Trade informs us that a free trade agreement is about to be signed with Costa Rica, and may even be signed for the summit of the Americas.

Can the government confirm this information, and is this the type of transparency, opaque to say the least, we will have during negotiations on a free trade area for the Americas?

[Pat O'Brien, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, the negotiations the member refers to are ongoing. The government is actively seeking input from all interested Canadians vis-à-vis the FTAA.

We continue to receive written submissions. We continue to receive daily comments on our website. There was a meeting of federal and provincial ministers of trade 10 days ago. The government is firmly committed to an open, transparent and inclusive process on FTAA.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has already said, with respect to the negotiations on the free trade area, “Canada believes that openness and transparency are vital to building public acceptance and legitimacy for our undertakings”.

How can he make such a speech and refuse to table the basic documents to be used in the negotiations?

[Pat O'Brien, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I want to offer to the member the website where he can access the information. If somehow he is not aware of that I wish he would see me later.

The Minister for International Trade has gone further than what I said in response to the first question. He is trying to engage civil society in every way possible. For example, he has met with NGOs, Rights and Democracy, and Oxfam-Quebec. The government is a world leader in openness and transparency in trade negotiations.

Justice

[Art Hanger, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice. From her own statements will she extradite those two murderers back to Washington?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have instructed my officials to seek assurances from the state of Washington. Upon receiving those assurances, Burns and Rafay will be extradited to the United States.

[Art Hanger, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, assurances of what? Again I ask for a clear statement from the Minister of Justice. Will she extradite those two back to the state of Washington?

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

Mr. Speaker, to the state of Washington I will extradite them immediately.

International Aid

[Colleen Beaumier, Liberal, Brampton West—Mississauga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, two days ago yet another earthquake, this one measuring 6.6, hit El Salvador. This was one month to the day of the initial quake that killed nearly 1,000 Salvadorans and injured 3,000. There are reports of extensive damage throughout the region and many more deaths as a result of Tuesday's quake.

Could the Minister for International Co-Operation please tell the House what Canada is doing to assist the people of El Salvador who have already suffered so much?

[Maria Minna, Liberal, Minister for International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, my sympathies go to the people of El Salvador. I know the horrible situation they are in. I was there myself.

Yesterday I announced an additional $1 million to assist with the latest quake that hit. We are trying desperately to assist them with their water systems, one of the major problems, and many other structural problems which have occurred as a result of the quake.

Employment Insurance

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, on leaving the Liberal caucus meeting, the government House leader said, in reference to Bill C-2 on employment insurance, that the opposition could not have their cake and eat it too.

My question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development. Would she agree that, in fact, the whole cake belongs to workers and employers and not to the Liberal government?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, certain members opposite—not the member who just spoke—have chosen to delay passage of Bill C-2 before and after the election. Today, they are saying they are sorry and asking Canadians to forgive them.

It does not work like that. Members must pass this bill, which is good for all Canadians. That is what I said, and that is what we are going to do.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the ones who take the cake in all this are the Liberals.

If Canadian workers and employers cannot have a share of the surplus in the EI fund, would the Minister of Human Resources Development tell us just what it is going to be used for?

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

Mr. Speaker, in my view we have presented to the House a balanced set of amendments to the Employment Insurance Act.

The bill is making its way through the usual process. From our point of view our commitment to Canadians to reintroduce that bill immediately upon being re-elected is a strong commitment and we have made good on it. The hon. member is suggesting that we should do otherwise and we will not.

Employment

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I have a charter of rights question for the attorney general. There are pages and pages of job openings advertised on the web page jobs.gc.ca. These jobs are available in Ottawa, jobs such as paralegals and architects. They are all federal government jobs. Down the page it says who can apply. Then it says “only those in eastern Ontario and western Quebec need apply”.

How could the Government of Canada say that people from her riding in Alberta and my riding in Nova Scotia cannot apply for a federal government job in Ottawa, in our nation's capital? Is it not a contravention of the mobility clause in the charter of rights?