House of Commons Hansard #49 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was elections.
Charlie Penson Canadian Alliance Peace River, AB
Mr. Speaker, it was only yesterday that the courts overturned BDC's raid for documents, judging it to be an illegal fishing expedition.
What a surprise it was that the Prime Minister's former aide, Jean Carle, headed up the legal team that directed BDC lawyers to search for, seize and destroy documents which might implicate the Prime Minister. What are Canadians to think when BDC is allowed to abuse its powers and recover documents to protect the Prime Minister?
Business Development Bank Of CanadaOral Question Period
Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
Brian Tobin LiberalMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, much of what has just been said is incorrect. I know the member must have inadvertently misled the House because he would never do so deliberately.
First, Mr. Carle did not lead a legal team. He is in charge of corporate services. Second, no documents have been destroyed. All the material involved is still available. The records are still there intact.
Charlie Penson Canadian Alliance Peace River, AB
Mr. Speaker, I understand that Jean Carle wears a lot of hats. Breaking into people's homes is no small matter, especially to search for, seize and destroy documents, and especially when those documents relate to the Prime Minister. That is a big matter.
Less than six months ago Jean Carle was working on the Prime Minister's election campaign. Could the Prime Minister tell the House which hat Jean Carle was wearing when he directed the raid for BDC on the Auberge Grand-Mère documents? Which hat was he wearing that day?
Business Development Bank Of CanadaOral Question Period
Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
Brian Tobin LiberalMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, we know that the party opposite would do almost anything to change the coverage on the front page of the papers of Canada. Having a political leader who enters the phone booth as Clark Kent and re-emerges as Maxwell Smart is not good for business.
Jean Carle did not break into anybody's home, no matter how much that silly accusation is repeated on the floor of the House of Commons.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister sent a letter to the leader of the Conservative Party in which he stated, and has also stated in the House, that there was no business connection between the Auberge Grand-Mère and the golf club, and that on the contrary they were competitors.
Yet there is a ten-year lease between the two, which indicates the opposite and clearly shows that there was such a connection, contrary to the statements made by the Prime Minister.
How could the Prime Minister have written and stated that there was no connection between the Auberge and the golf club, when there is a ten-year lease in the property registry which clearly demonstrates that what the Prime Minister is saying is totally false?
Business Development Bank Of CanadaOral Question Period
Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
Brian Tobin LiberalMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, the evidence has shown repeatedly when it has been subject to independent audit and review, be that by the ethics counsellor or be that by the RCMP in its investigation, that effective November 1993 the Prime Minister of Canada had no involvement, none, in this asset.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Mr. Speaker, when we raised the question earlier this week, the Prime Minister answered from his seat that the lease had been cancelled. Yet there is nothing in the registry to indicate that it had.
I am therefore asking the Prime Minister the following.
How does he know the lease was cancelled, when was this done, and why is there no indication of it in the Shawinigan property registry? Can the Prime Minister answer these three questions?
Business Development Bank Of CanadaOral Question Period
Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
Brian Tobin LiberalMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, members opposite can do their very best to try to revive something which in the context of Canadian public opinion has nothing to do with the best interest or public policy of the country.
The fact remains that since November 1993 the Prime Minister has had no involvement with this business whatsoever. The Prime Minister sold his shares in the golf course. No matter how hard members opposite try, the government remains committed and focused on the public policy of Canada.
Chuck Cadman Canadian Alliance Surrey North, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice says that Bill C-7, the youth criminal justice act, is a result of extensive consultations with the provinces. Yesterday provincial officials appearing before the justice committee seemed to contradict that claim. While they said there may have been a lot of talk, the federal government just plain did not listen.
Does the minister stand by her claim about consultations and, if so, is she just saying that these provincial officials, who must implement her legislation, have it all wrong?
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member should know, we consulted widely with the provinces. The hon. member should also know that does not mean we always agree with the provinces.
I listened with some interest to the testimony yesterday and the day before from the provinces. Not surprisingly I understand where they are coming from. They seem to want more resources. What we are doing is providing them with additional resources.
However I think everyone has to come to the table and understand that we have to work together. I stand by my claim that yes, we consulted. Do we agree on everything? No. Will the provinces always ask for more money? Yes, they will.
Chuck Cadman Canadian Alliance Surrey North, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is more than resources. Those same officials describe Bill C-7 as elegant but not effective or functional due to its complexity. They also say there was no indepth cost analysis done. Without such an analysis they predict there will be severe problems for many years to come.
These are the people who have to implement and apply this legislative nightmare. Why does the minister refuse to acknowledge their concerns?
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, we have listened to their concerns. Unfortunately in the country too often the remedy of choice against a young person who gets into trouble is custody. We all know that custody is the single most expensive remedy in the criminal justice system.
What we are trying to do in Bill C-7 is to ensure that only those for whom custody and detention are necessary are placed in those facilities. Hopefully the provinces will be able to save on the back end.
We are investing more resources. In 1999 we got an additional $206 million. In fact—
Tony Tirabassi Liberal Niagara Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, wineries, viticulture and more recently ice wine is an example of the new economy of Niagara.
There have been media reports about the European Commission approving the marketing of ice wine from Canada. Would the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food explain to the House when Canadian ice wines will be granted access to the very important European market?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, after hard work by the wine industry, this government and the provincial governments yesterday the European Union adapted the regulations which will allow our very fine wine, the best ice wine in the world, to now go into the European market. This is another step forward in the wine and spirit industry around the world, and we will now open that market for ice wine in the European Union.
Following a question, I had yesterday on another issue of a very high quality product, I announced at 1.30 p.m. today that the United States border is now open for Prince Edward Island potatoes.
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, it took Health Canada almost five months to stop sales of the drug Prepulsid after Vanessa Young died from an adverse reaction. By that time 12 deaths in Canada and 80 deaths in the United States had been linked to this drug.
Today at committee the health minister expressed concern about Vanessa's death but was short on specifics. Would he now commit to implementing the recommendations of the coroner's jury for which he has responsibility, starting with the mandatory reporting of adverse drug reactions?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, we must never forget that this case involves the tragic loss of a 15 year old girl whose family will mourn her forever. Our hearts go out to them.
There are tragic lessons to be learned from this episode. We have received the recommendations of the jury. I have asked the deputy minister to examine them to find any way in which we can do our business better, to better serve Canadians and ensure their health.
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—St. Clair, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Trade. As a result of the government's failure to take action to protect Canada's steel industry from the impact of illegal dumping, thousands of jobs at Algoma Steel in Ontario and other Canadian steel producers are at risk. Last year's steel imports increased by 60% and formed 45% of the Canadian market. These imports are threatening the future viability of the whole industry.
In February the government promised to take some action. Will the government today take immediate action in the interest of the Canadian steel industry and the working families that depend on it and implement retroactive penalties to stop the dumping?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the situation on the dumping legislation in the United States does not always meet our criteria. We have been challenging a number of them time and again. We will continue to do so.
I was very pleased that Ambassador Zoellick in Buenos Aries for the first time has accepted to negotiate these in the context of the free trade area of the Americas. There is progress on that front.
Greg Thompson Progressive Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has stated the sale of eight DND challenger jets by Lancaster Aviation was “not a sole source contract” and “was reasonably handled”.
The minister is wrong on both counts. These aircraft were sold for $25 million below market value. Is the minister now in a position to confirm that Lancaster Aviation is under RCMP investigation for its mishandling of DND assets, and does the minister stand by his previous statements?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Yes, I stand by the previous statements, Mr. Speaker. Certainly the information I have is that there were several companies, and I have a list of them in fact, that were part of the bidding process in addition to Lancaster.
I also understand the matter was determined, was looked at by tax officials and not found to be something requiring further investigation. Certainly the RCMP is quite free to look at it if it so wishes.
Elsie Wayne Progressive Conservative Saint John, NB
Mr. Speaker, Canadians cannot trust the government. The government broke its word about revisiting the equalization formula. The Minister of Industry broke his word to the shipbuilding industry and workers particularly in Saint John. The Minister of National Defence broke his word on the replacement of the Sea King helicopters.
Now it looks like the government might well break its word to the merchant navy vets. Will the government and will the minister tell these veterans that they will receive the other 40% of their compensation package today?
Carmen Provenzano LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her question. Originally $50 million was allocated to this special fund. That figure was raised to $70 million.
There were 14,000 applications made. Approximately 2,400 original decisions have been reviewed. The minister has committed to making a decision by the end of April. I am pleased to inform the member of that.
Brian Pallister Canadian Alliance Portage—Lisgar, MB
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday in the House the environment minister claimed that he had told Mayor Andy Wells of St. John's how to get money to clean up Canada's dirtiest harbour.
What he actually told the mayor was that the environment ministry had no money, but he should try the Canada infrastructure program. Mayor Wells did. There was no money there either.
Meanwhile the environment minister just announced funding to clean up a harbour. Guess where? It is in his own riding. When will these ministers start working for all Canadians, not just themselves?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member made the charge two days ago that I had given no information to the mayor of St. John's with respect to infrastructure programs for sewage treatment.
He has now retracted that statement in the House without the apology I deserve for the statement that he made.
I ask him, in his clear effort to succeed the hon. member from Calgary, in his clear effort on the campaign, that while he regrets not having been moved forward perhaps he might simply stop playing games—