House of Commons Hansard #22 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was opposition.
David Kilgour LiberalSecretary of State (Latin America and Africa)
Mr. Speaker, Plan Colombia has a very large social assistance program and a number of features to it which are not military.
Canada is not participating in any of the military side of Plan Colombia, as the Minister of National Defence knows. Canada will not be providing any military equipment as we would be violating our non-involvement in the war in Colombia.
Paddy Torsney Liberal Burlington, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are concerned about foreign and domestic hazardous and toxic waste.
Could the Minister of the Environment tell us what actions his department is taking to ensure that there is no illegal dumping of hazardous and toxic waste in Canada?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, Canada has ratified the United Nations Basel convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous waste, and we take it seriously.
The new Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, which came into force on April 1 last year, provides my department's enforcement officers, who incidentally have been substantially increased in numbers, with new tools to combat the illegal disposition of hazardous waste, such as new regulations to control certain waste, requirements for disposal plans by exporters and new criteria for permits.
James Moore Canadian Alliance Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, when the finance minister was asked why students, renters, prisoners and even the deceased received heating fuel rebates he told the House “The purpose of the program was to help the needy with a cheque of $125”.
In the last election the NDP leader told Canadians that people earning more than $60,000 a year were rich. As an MP, I earn more than $60,000. To my great surprise, this weekend when I went back to my constituency a cheque from the finance minister was sitting in my mailbox for the home heating fuel rebate.
Will the finance minister admit to the House that his program of handing out cash is fatally flawed and wrong?
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that over 99% of the cheques which have gone out have gone to the needy and to those who actually need it. We said there would be flaws. I did not realize the flaw would be quite this big.
The only reason I can give for the hon. member having received a cheque is that it was given to him before he was a member of parliament and he has obviously got a heck of a raise.
James Moore Canadian Alliance Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve a better answer than that. In British Columbia the government is crediting home heating rebates but not handing out flawed cheques like this finance minister. There are better ways to do this. The finance minister is ignoring the truth.
The inefficiency in this is astonishing. The cheque sent to me is dated January 31, 2001, more than two months after I was elected to the House of Commons. This kind of inefficiency drives Canadians insane because it is totally unjust.
Will the finance minister commit today to creating a better system that gives the appropriate money to the appropriate Canadians who truly deserve it?
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, we adopted a procedure, the same procedure that was adopted by the government of Alberta and a number of other provinces.
What the hon. member ought to know is that it was based on his 1999 tax return, which I have not seen. If the hon. member would show it to me, I would be delighted to go through it with him.
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Mr. Speaker, during the World March of Women, women asked that the portion of the global budget earmarked for social housing be increased by 1%.
The commitments made by the government in the election campaign, including affordable housing, are far from meeting the demands made by women and the need for social housing.
Will the federal government take action to change the commitment made during the election campaign, so as to truly do its share regarding social housing, as requested by women?
Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, we announced in our red book a program to build affordable rental housing units.
We are currently negotiating with the provinces to reach an agreement on a joint initiative to build or assist in building a number of units for the needy.
We are co-operating with the provinces. As soon as the consultations are completed, and the discussions with my cabinet colleagues as well, I will be in a position to announce a new program.
Howard Hilstrom Canadian Alliance Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Speaker, today a delegation is in Ottawa from southwest Manitoba. The delegation includes bipartisan representation from the Manitoba legislature through MLAs John Gerrard and Larry Maguire, as well as various reeves, businessmen and farmers. They are here because they have still not received any help from Ottawa for disastrous flooding in the spring of 1999.
In Manitoba alone it is estimated that uncompensated losses are as high as $85 million. Reeve Moior put it bluntly when he stated that “we are in a state of quiet desperation”. Will the Prime Minister acknowledge the validity of this delegation's concerns and finally initiate a disaster relief program?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we have the disaster financial assistance program. It contributed to the restoration in 1999 as a result of the floods that occurred. Some $12 million of federal money went into that.
I indicated to the delegation yesterday that we would be reviewing the DFAA. I agreed with them wholeheartedly when they said we needed a mitigation strategy. That is something the government is presently looking into.
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport indicated that the federal government might consider giving large municipalities in Canada increased powers through a constitutional reform.
Does the government share the view of the Minister of Transport, considering that municipalities are created by provincial governments and that their powers have nothing to do with federal responsibilities?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the article was somewhat misleading. I correctly stated that the federal government had pledged $2 billion in the infrastructure fund for municipalities to identify projects in transportation and elsewhere. That is a major commitment of the government.
I also said that with growing urbanization in the country, governments will have to work together to try to assist those people living in cities and that I hoped the constitution would be flexible to allow those kinds of programs to be developed.
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The opposition parties rarely make it clear which projects they are referring to when they ask questions in the House.
Just for the clarity of the House I would like to confirm that when I am speaking about a grant that went to the Auberge Grand-Mère I am talking about 19 jobs that are sustained there and for the Auberge des Gouverneurs it is 74 jobs.
Jim Pankiw Canadian Alliance Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period I referred to an ad that specifically excludes Indians from applying for a job in the human resources development department.
For what I think will become historical reasons I would like to table this ad in the House of Commons.
Points Of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
Does the hon. member have unanimous consent of the House to table the document?
Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, with regard to Government Business No. 2, I move:
That the debate be not further adjourned.
Standing OrdersGovernment Orders
The Speaker
Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
Standing OrdersGovernment Orders
The Speaker
All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.