House of Commons Hansard #5 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was riding.
Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC
Mr. Speaker, this morning, we learned that the RCMP is recommending to the deputy attorney general of Quebec that charges be laid against the former directors of CINAR.
According to many witnesses, it is common practice in the industry to submit inflated invoices.
When is the government going to ensure that taxpayers' money is legitimately spent and ask the auditor general to look into the subsidies and tax credits enjoyed by producers?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the deputy attorney general of Quebec has his responsibilities as a member of Quebec's public service. This is not up to the Government of Canada. Nor is it for us to comment on a specific file under the jurisdiction of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. I am certain that the agency will assume its responsibilities fully.
Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC
Mr. Speaker, last year, when the RCMP released certain disturbing facts in connection with CINAR, the government began, as usual, by trying to play down the affair.
How can the government justify waiting for other scandals to surface before investigating?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I categorically reject the ridiculous premises of the hon. member. The government is assuming its responsibilities in this situation, but the rules of parliament prevent us from commenting on an individual tax file.
Keith Martin Canadian Alliance Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
Mr. Speaker, MRIs are an essential medical tool used by physicians to treat their patients. We now know that the waiting list in Ontario is increasing by 12,000 people per year. In an Ottawa hospital the waiting list is 7,000 people, with a waiting list of seven months to get that MRI.
Why has the health minister allowed this situation to become so deplorable? It deprives Ontarians and Canadians access to lifesaving MRI scanners.
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the member has it all wrong. As a result of the health accord last September, we will be transferring to Ontario in the course of the next five years over $42 billion that can be used for health. Apart from that, we set aside $1 billion just for the purchase of new medical equipment. Ontario's share is almost $400 million.
We call upon the government of Ontario to make the right and wise decision with respect to that money, and to put the equipment where it is needed by Canadians so that there are not undue waits for MRI scans when they are medically necessary. Now that we have furnished the tools, we expect the government of Ontario to do the job.
Keith Martin Canadian Alliance Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC
Mr. Speaker, this is a symptom of a larger problem of the government falling asleep at the watch. The government has allowed Canada and Canadians to fall into the lowest third of all developed nations in their access to top of the line essential health care services.
My question is very simple. Why has the minister allowed sick Canadians to fall to the bottom of the heap among the developed nations in their access to new lifesaving technologies?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the member would do well to look at just where the responsibility lies. The Government of Canada furnishes the funds to the provinces to provide for the health care system. The provinces then deliver the services and the required equipment.
Many provinces have already reported publicly how they are using their per capita allotment of the medical equipment fund to purchase things like MRIs. We have not yet heard from Ontario. I, too, have read the troubling reports of the waiting lists in Ontario. It was raised yesterday by one of our colleagues from Nepean—Carleton.
I call upon the government of Ontario to do the right thing with the additional money and buy and put the MRIs where they are needed.
Ivan Grose Liberal Oshawa, ON
Mr. Speaker, what measures is Canada taking to ensure that beef imported to our country does not pose any health risks for Canadians. In other words, is my Big Mac safe to eat?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, Canada is recognized as BSE free. We are determined that will remain so. As a result, acting on information received and on the advice of scientists, today the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will announce the suspension of beef imports from Brazil.
For its part, and consistent with that suspension, Health Canada will recall from the Canadian market any products containing beef.
Paul Forseth Canadian Alliance New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of the Environment.
The Sumas 2 gas fired electric plant has British Columbians really upset. The Americans get the electricity and Canadians get the pollution. The hapless provincial NDP government missed its opportunity to defend the province.
Will the minister wait for more deliberations, or will he use his powers now to defend British Columbia and stop Sumas 2?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I know this will come as a surprise to the hon. member but the powers of the federal Canadian Minister of the Environment do not extend to the continental United States.
We have made representations to the energy facilities site evaluation council of Washington state. That was done on May 2. We pointed out there was insufficient information on air quality impacts. There was a problem with respect to alternative fuel, in particular oil firing, and I could go on. When they came back with their revised proposal, we once more put our objections forward.
The system is now awaiting the energy facilities site evaluation council to report to Governor Locke.
Paul Forseth Canadian Alliance New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC
Mr. Speaker, the minister's weakness shows. He is hiding behind the bureaucrats, and that is not good enough. The science is clear, yet the minister is hedging. In fact he is implying that approval of Sumas 2 is possible.
If ever there were a test for the government to resolve to defend all of Canada, this is it. Will the minister use his rightful powers and stop Sumas 2? Yes or no.
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I pointed out that the environment and scientific information to which the member refers came from my department.
I do not understand why the opposition talked earlier about the softwood lumber agreement and the need to have one Canadian voice. It has played fast and loose with the interests of the people of the Fraser Valley and the interests of Canada on the issue of Sumas 2. It is outrageous that we have had this behaviour.
We will continue to play the cards as best we can, in the right form and in the right order. We will not simply go out there, as he and his fellow members of the Canadian Alliance Party have done, and say that it is in our backyard, of course it is unacceptable.
Jean-Yves Roy Bloc Matapédia—Matane, QC
Mr. Speaker, our colleague from Manicouagan questioned the Minister of Transport yesterday about his plans for dealing with the contamination of the water table in the beaches area of Sept-Îles. He got no answer.
My question is for the Minister of Transport. Since the minister acknowledged his responsibility three years ago, why can we not know what he plans to do now?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we have a very good plan.
I am told there are four options. An ion exchange treatment device, a reverse osmosis treatment device, bottled water delivery and the payment of a sum for the purchase of bottled water.
That means we have four options for the residents of Sept-Îles. I am told the resident have chosen options. I think the matter will be resolved.
Stephen Owen Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Mr. Speaker, the forest products industry is of immense importance to the economy of British Columbia and the people of my riding. An important part of that industry, the Canadian Pulp and Paper Association, is having its annual meeting in Montreal this week.
My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources. What action is the Canadian government taking to ensure the sustainability of this immensely important part of the forest industry?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is correct with respect to the importance of the Canadian forestry sector, including pulp and paper. It is important for investment, employment, exports, environmental stewardship, and for new science and technology.
Two areas are of particular importance to the Government of Canada: our support for research, such as our financing for PAPRICAN in relation to pulp and paper, and trade and market access where we assist in developing and opening markets around the world and in defending our Canadian reputation in markets around the world, as I did very recently on a European mission.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, recently the government tabled its bill to reform financial institutions.
Could the government assure us that this bill is going to include amendments that will protect the medium sized banks such as the National Bank in Quebec?
Just before the election was called, the Secretary of State for Financial Institutions had committed to amending the bill with the conditions set out in a letter from Bernard Landry, Quebec's minister of finance and deputy premier, specifically in order to protect the specific nature of Quebec as far as its financial institutions are concerned, the National Bank in particular, in the event of a control bid by a single individual, which would be contrary to the interests of Quebec.
Jim Peterson LiberalSecretary of State (International Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased with the question by the hon. member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot.
I must inform him that we made no promise of a specific time but that the minister did indeed respond to the letter setting out Mr. Landry's concerns. I am sure something will be done.
Presence In GalleryOral Question Period
The Speaker
I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Steve Ashton, Minister of Transportation and Government Services of the province of Manitoba, and the Honourable Jack Anawak, Minister of Community Government and Transportation of Nunavut.
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-2, an act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Employment Insurance (Fishing) Regulations.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Eldorado Nuclear Limited Reorganization And Divestiture ActRoutine Proceedings
Wascana Saskatchewan
Liberal
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-3, an act to amend the Eldorado Nuclear Limited Reorganization and Divestiture Act and the Petro-Canada Public Participation Act.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Canada Foundation For Sustainable Development Technology ActRoutine Proceedings
Wascana Saskatchewan
Liberal
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-4, an act to establish a foundation to fund sustainable development technology.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)