Debates of Feb. 19th, 2001

Terrorism

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the government strongly condemns terrorism and any group that uses terrorism to forward its goals. In fact, I plan to introduce legislation soon to combat terrorism fundraising.

[Vic Toews, Canadian Alliance, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it is already a year late. The Ottawa declaration called upon all states to join with the existing treaties on terrorism by the year 2000.

Even the Prime Minister recognized the urgency of the situation when he stated that we were to take whatever measures necessary to ensure that no country anywhere in the world could get away with giving support to terrorists. Instead of ministers having dinner with terrorists, why is the legislation not here?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated to my hon. colleague, legislation will be coming soon.

The country has and will continue to fight terrorism. I hope my hon. colleague and his party will support the legislation when it is brought forward.

Free Trade Area Of The Americas

[Richard Marceau, Bloc, Charlesbourg—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the issues that will be negotiated at the Summit of the Americas involve a number of areas of provincial jurisdiction.

Will the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs tell us what kind of co-operation exists with provincial governments with respect to the positions the federal government will be defending at the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, at the federal-provincial conference two weeks ago on Monday, February 5, we looked at the whole range of issues, including those that interest us with respect to the summit on the free trade area of the Americas in Quebec City.

I must say that the dialogue with all the governments in the land was very constructive and very useful for our government. We intend to go on working very closely with all provincial governments.

[Richard Marceau, Bloc, Charlesbourg—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we know that the issues to be discussed at this Summit of the Americas will have an impact on the immediate and the very long term economic future of the three Americas, including Canada and Quebec.

Is the Minister for International Trade prepared to arrange a federal-provincial conference of first ministers so that the positions of the federal government are clear, accurate and consistent with the priorities of the various provincial governments?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I will pass on to the Prime Minister the suggestion from the member for Charlesbourg—Jacques-Cartier. However, I must say that it is up to the Prime Minister to determine the issues to be raised at federal-provincial conferences.

However, I can say that the Monday, February 5 conference of ministers went extremely well and consensus was reached fairly easily on all issues discussed.

I am extremely pleased with my working relations with the Government of Quebec and with the governments of each of the provinces across the country.

Intergovernmental Affairs

[Scott Reid, Canadian Alliance, Lanark—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs stated that the leader of my party and the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party were promoting blackmail by western separatists.

I have to assume that the minister's words mean that he feels that it is never acceptable for any Canadian from any region to suggest that their region could get a better deal from Ottawa by negotiating with a knife at the throat. I applaud that sentiment. That is why our leader has said “any discussion of separatism is absolutely untenable”.

Now we learn from the minister that he will not be going to Alberta during his upcoming tour. How will this exclusion of Albertans make them feel more included?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is not our intention to exclude Albertans. In fact, we have great sympathy with Ralph Klein when he said “I would hope the Alliance Party would return some of that money”, that is the $70,000, “on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition to the Alberta treasury to help offset the atrocious cost of that lawsuit”.

The member for Calgary—Nose Hill happened to say when she heard of it “$70,000, whoo-ee, we need to get to the bottom of it”. Those were real western sentiments.

[Scott Reid, Canadian Alliance, Lanark—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. Deputy Prime Minister for that spectacularly irrelevant response.

During the election Alice Farness, a Liberal candidate, threatened Saskatchewan farmers that they would get no help from Ottawa if they did not vote Liberal. So far, the government has done a spectacularly good job at following through on this election promise.

For example, last week the intergovernmental affairs minister went all the way west to the University of Toronto Law School to remind western Canadians that the policy of tough love is still in effect.

The minister has not even hinted at repudiating Mrs. Farness' comments. Will he do so now or does he think they are legitimate? Are they policy?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that at last the Leader of the Opposition made a very clear statement about the necessity to never flirt with any kind of separatism in the country. It was time.

Transportation

[Janko Peric, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, accidents at railway crossings account for half of all railway related deaths and injuries each year. What is the Minister of Transport doing to improve safety at railway crossings in Cambridge and the rest of the country?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows that we have a program which helps fund separation at railway crossings. In fact, an announcement was just made at the end of last week on the latest funding.

This is right across the country. Unfortunately there is not enough money to do all the crossings that are so needed, particularly in urban areas. We have to come to grips with the fact that we have to put more money into this kind of project, and we need the participation of our municipal and provincial partners to really do the job.

Finance

[Brian Pallister, Canadian Alliance, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, finally last week after an unusual prolonged silence the industry minister acknowledged what the opposition has been saying for a long time, that the current equalization formula impedes economic development in the Atlantic region. He promised to push his cabinet colleagues to change the formula.

Despite repeated urging by the opposition, other parties and now even the industry minister, the finance minister has refused to address the issue. Has the industry minister finally managed to convince the finance minister to change this counterproductive equalization system?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member ought to know that the equalization formula is constantly under discussion by officials and that is going on.

He also ought to know that I will be meeting with my provincial counterparts in the next month following the Prime Minister's commitment not only to increase the base for last year but to discuss the overall economic situation as it applies to the recipient province.

[Brian Pallister, Canadian Alliance, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it is nice to know the industry minister is having an influence over there.

Before meeting with his cabinet colleagues last week the industry minister announced to the media that he intended to raise the equalization issue. In that way he ensured he would get credit for any agreement on equalization which came out of that meeting or any subsequent meeting.

Could the finance minister, who still will not address the problems with the equalization formula promptly and properly, assure us in the House that he is able to set aside his eroding leadership aspirations, in spite of the credit the industry minister may get, and deal with the issue properly?

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. I know everyone wants to hear the minister's answer to the question. The hon. Minister of Finance has the floor.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I assure the hon. member that I will be discussing this issue, that I have discussed it with my colleague and that I will be discussing it with my provincial colleagues. We will continue to do that.

Iraq

[Antoine Dubé, Bloc, Lévis-Et-Chutes-De-La-Chaudière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week the American government authorized the bombing of Iraq. We know that Great Britain not only agreed in advance to this, but also took part in the U.S. military action.

My question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Can he confirm whether Canada was consulted before the bombings? Is the minister himself in agreement with the U.S. attitude, and does he intend to accept an emergency debate on this?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, it is not a matter of whether or not we were consulted beforehand. We are, however, in favour of exclusion zones, which are in my opinion necessary to protect civilian populations in Iraq, the Kurds in the north and the Shiite Moslems. This is therefore necessary.

Second, I believe it is necessary for the pilots to be protected as they carry out their duties. Finally, I would say that the best for Iraq to do is to accept the standards set by the United Nations.

Presence In Gallery

[The Speaker]

I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of His Excellency Janos Martonyi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Hungary.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[The Speaker]

I also draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Graeme Bowbrick, Attorney General and Minister responsible for Human Rights of the province of British Columbia.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.