Debates of Feb. 20th, 2001

National Defence

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, again I repeat that this is not something that comes from me or from the government. It is a recommendation from the air force. It is a recommendation from General Campbell and others in the air force who feel that they can operate this in a more efficient fashion and that we should put more investment into upgrading equipment, and that is exactly what we are doing.

International Trade

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and the Minister for International Trade often praise the European model.

The European Commission, which negotiates trade agreements on behalf of the European Union, is mandated directly by the countries in the European Union.

Is the government prepared to set up a similar mechanism for co-operation with the provinces, that is to have the team of Canadian negotiators mandated explicitly by the federal government and the provinces?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to see that the Bloc Quebecois continues to look for inspiration from models elsewhere. After wanting the American model, here it is back again with the European model, now.

I can tell the hon. member that we are very happy with the co-operation we have initiated with the provinces. We have had a federal provincial conference where we discussed all the issues in the negotiations, and the discussion was very useful. We are definitely on the same wavelength as regards most of the issues.

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

Mr. Speaker, the mandate to negotiate is defined and given by the governments comprising the European Union and they must also formally approve the result of the negotiations.

If, once again, they are serious in their praise for the virtues of the European model, as was the Minister for International Trade in the media recently, is the government prepared to set it up here, in other words to have the provinces approve the outcome of the negotiations as well?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, it is true that the European model is evolving pretty quickly toward our model of federalism.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Papineau—Saint-Denis, QC]

So it is clear that, if Europe is becoming a federation, it is the choice of many.

I can tell the member that we will continue to work very closely with the provinces in this area, because it is vital to us that the Canadian position reflect all of our interests across the country.

National Defence

[Peter Goldring, Canadian Alliance, Edmonton Centre-East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence wants to reduce the Aurora's patrol hours from 19,000 when the Liberals took office to just 8,000 hours today.

When it comes to determining minimum operational requirements, who is more qualified, the chief of the air force with 30 years of military experience or the minister with 2 years?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated previously, the recommendation does not come from me. The recommendation is bottom up not top down. It comes from the air force.

[Rob Anders, Canadian Alliance, Calgary West, AB]

Have you not read it?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, York Centre, ON]

They frequently get all their research wrong, and I am sure I will find out where they got it wrong on this one as well.

First, they are wrong to say 19,000 because it is currently at 11,000. We are talking about an 8,000 difference. However the difference will be in terms of a more efficient training system, not in terms of any fewer patrols to ensure the security of the country. That will continue to be maintained.

[Peter Goldring, Canadian Alliance, Edmonton Centre-East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, recently the cannons used for the Governor General's gun salute for the Speech from the Throne had to be brought to Parliament Hill by autoclub tow trucks because the military truck wheels are unserviceable.

Obviously, operational readiness is at a low ebb and has little priority by the Liberals.

Would the minister tell us when the wheels of our army will be turning again?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the army did a magnificent firing the cannons to honour the Governor General when she was here.

Let me say that the government is replacing or upgrading every piece of equipment in the Canadian forces. In fact, I was just over in Eritrea, Ethiopia. Our troops are raving about the new armoured personnel carrier known as the LAV III. It is state of the art, up to date equipment. Even the Americans now want to buy Canadian.

Free Trade Area Of The Americas

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Trade.

Given the importance that an agreement on the free trade area of the Americas would have for Canadians, does the minister agree that it would be reasonable to have all members of the House express their views and those of their constituents?

Is the minister prepared to recommend a take note debate on this issue before the summit in Quebec City, in April?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Ottawa—Vanier for his question and his continued interest in this very important issue.

I am pleased to announce to the House that, indeed, I pledge to ensure that our government ask the House to hold a special take note debate on the FTAA before the summit in Quebec City.

Trade

[Svend Robinson, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the trade minister. Yesterday Metalclad Corporation was in a B.C. court defending its NAFTA right to run a toxic waste dump in Mexico, which ignores the health and environmental concerns of elected local and state governments.

While the federal government has intervened in this corporate attack on democracy, will the minister assure the House that Canada will not sign any new FTAA accord that includes any type of investor state provision like that in chapter 11 in NAFTA which led to this dangerous and destructive Metalclad tribunal decision?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that I have been quite clear that we are already seeking clarifications on chapter 11 of NAFTA as drafted.

We have been working with the Mexicans and the Americans to bring those clarifications in order to ensure that chapter 11 reflects the intentions of the drafters of NAFTA at the time. In an eventual FTAA we would not bring elements of ambiguity to a situation that we are trying to correct.

[Svend Robinson, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I wish the minister could have just said no. The minister has said that he will not make the FTAA negotiating documents public unless we get permission from all 33 of our FTAA partners.

Why is the minister giving effectively a veto to these countries over the right of Canadians to know the contents of these important documents that affect our future? Why is he paying more respect to the governments of St. Lucia, Barbados and Peru than he is to the people of Canada? Why the contempt for Canadian people?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, when we negotiate with partners we respect them. We respect the name of the game of the negotiations.

We are the first country to have put our position on the Internet. On behalf of Canada I have been asking to have all documents published. We will try to persuade our partners to do so because we believe it would be in the best interest of all citizens and all parliamentarians to have them.

Business Development Bank

[Peter MacKay, Progressive Conservative, Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS]

Mr. Speaker, with evidence that has now been put before the House that clearly shows an intervention by Jean Carle on behalf of the Prime Minister to the BDC in the auberge file, could the Prime Minister tell us whether or not there has been any further intervention from himself, from Jean Carle or any other member of the Prime Minister's staff with respect to the Auberge Grand-Mère affair?

[Brian Tobin, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, given the issues surrounding agriculture, given the issues surrounding the auto industry, given the issues surrounding the IT sector and given the kind of issues that concern Canadians where they live in their communities, the people of Canada should be asking themselves why that party, with the evidence of an ethics counsellor and an RCMP investigation saying there is no basis for any further investigation, continues to ask questions that are designed to smear the reputation of somebody who has given 38 years to public life and who has emerged after 38 years with a sterling reputation and a sterling character. He does not deserve these kinds of attacks.

[Joe Clark, Progressive Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, why does the Prime Minister not stand in the House and have the courage to speak for himself and tell us why he assured the House that Mr. Jean Carle was not involved in this file when this memorandum proves the opposite? I would be prepared to lay this memorandum on the table of the House of Commons.

[Brian Tobin, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, quite frankly the real question that is consuming most members of the House and those who watch it is what exactly is the right hon. gentleman trying to do.

I will quote what the right hon. gentleman said yesterday. He said:

The RCMP appears to have decided that there was no criminal wrongdoing and I accept their decision on the basis of the facts that are known now.

What happened since yesterday? Did he have another conversation with the former president of the BDC?

Privacy Commissioner

[Garry Breitkreuz, Canadian Alliance, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after more than five years the justice minister continues to ignore the recommendations of the privacy commissioner. Three and a half million Canadians are labelled as potentially dangerous because their names are contained in a police database.

The minister claims success for her registry because of information in that database. This turns out to be a bogus claim. The privacy commissioner revealed the minister's database even contains the names of witnesses and victims of crime.

Why is the minister ignoring the privacy commissioner? Why has she not fixed this mess?

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

Mr. Speaker, let me reassure the House that we have not ignored the privacy commissioner. In fact, on a number of occasions over the past seven years we have consulted with the privacy commissioner.

We have laid before the privacy commissioner questions that we would ask. The privacy commissioner and his staff indicated that those questions were appropriate.