Debates of April 5th, 2001

Telecommunications

[Cheryl Gallant, Canadian Alliance, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in a world of 500 digital channels Canadians are telling us that choice is what they want in television. Government policy currently forces viewers to subscribe to television services, to pay for channels they do not want because they have to buy a bundle of programs in order to get the shows they do want.

Since the technology exists, will the Minister of Canadian Heritage act now so that consumers only pay for what they want rather than being forced to pay for what they do not want?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, there is absolutely no requirement on any consumer to subscribe to any cable service.

[Cheryl Gallant, Canadian Alliance, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question is for the Minister of Industry. As it is obviously in the best interest of Canadians to have the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act under the responsibility of a single minister, will the minister act now to ensure that the future of the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act will be decided by the marketplace and not by some misguided notion that government should pick winners and losers in a 500 channel world?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I am amazed a member of a party, the vast majority of which comes from Alberta, would stand in her place and oppose the policy that created thousands of jobs in Alberta.

In the last four years the investment in television in Alberta has gone from $50 million per year to $200 million, precisely as a result of the Canada television fund and the far-sighted investments of the government in concert with the private sector.

I am sorry that her party is against television jobs because on this side we support the hundreds of thousands of people—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Tobique—Mactaquac.

Lumber Industry

[Andy Savoy, Liberal, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, many constituents in my riding depend on softwood lumber for their livelihood. One in eight jobs in New Brunswick relies on softwood lumber. Approximately 40 communities in Atlantic Canada rely almost exclusively on softwood lumber as their major industry.

Atlantic Canada softwood lumber producers are very concerned about the anti-dumping petition recently filed in the U.S. My question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade. What is the government doing to preserve Atlantic Canada's free trade in softwood lumber?

[Pat O'Brien, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and all my Liberal colleagues from Atlantic Canada who have been so vigorous on this file.

As the hon. member knows, the minister is in Buenos Aires today pursuing the matter of an envoy, which is a good way to make progress on this issue. We will continue to fight for free access for Atlantic softwood lumber, but in the context of free access for all Canadian softwood lumber because that is supposed to be the agreement.

Alan Greenspan, chair of the federal reserve, yesterday cautioned against protectionism on softwood lumber and everything else.

Foreign Affairs

[Keith Martin, Canadian Alliance, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, last month I returned from the Sudan and introduced a 14 point peace plan because that country is moving away from peace, not toward it.

Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs work with our international partners and demand that the government of Sudan and the Sudan's People Liberation Army implement an immediate ceasefire and allow complete and free access to all relief shipments into the south?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, first let me acknowledge the useful report that the hon. member provided to me after his visit. I expect to receive reports as well from the other members who were there.

Second, let me say that I recently met with Senator Lois Wilson, who is a special envoy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Sudan, in order to ensure that her involvement continues as we try to support the efforts that are being made in order to encourage a peaceful resolution.

The tragedy that has befallen the people in the Sudan is one that frankly is breathtaking and—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca.

[Keith Martin, Canadian Alliance, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to draw attention to another even more critical issue that is urgent because it places the lives of about one million people at risk. There is impending starvation in the south. A million people are poised to die in the next month.

Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs ask the international partners to redouble their efforts to ensure that the people in the south will gain urgent access to food? The UN world food program has said it is just about ready to put out its press releases to talk about the body count. We cannot wait. Will the minister ask our international partners to put food on the table?

[John Manley, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, first let me acknowledge that good question. Second, let me say that we continue to work to encourage the IGAD movement to do what is necessary to encourage a peaceful resolution of the situation in the Sudan. My colleague, the minister responsible for CIDA, has been involved as well in supporting efforts in order to ensure there are adequate provisions.

The truth is that there is a civil war going on and there are casualties. It is a situation that cries out for a solution from the nations of the world.

The Environment

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has refused to sign the Montreal declaration on greenhouse gas emissions.

Yesterday, the Minister of the Environment said that Canada did not sign because it was the host and that it was customary not to vote on items that are not on the agenda.

Now we learn from checking with the Department of Foreign Affairs that this decision was not a matter of protocol but a purely political one.

Does this political decision by Canada not indicate that, slowly but surely, Canada is withdrawing its support for the Kyoto protocol?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, we had a paragraph of the communique of the 34 nations of the Americas that met in Montreal which referred to climate change.

That said, there was a separate Latin American declaration made which is certainly its right and privilege. I said at the time we had very little to take exception with in that but as we were chairing that meeting we could not take part.

With respect to the second part of the hon. member's question, I wonder whether he listened to my answer yesterday when I said to the hon. member for Rosemont—Petite-Patrie that the Prime Minister made clear—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Yukon.

Fisheries

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, the Americans are overfishing Yukon salmon. In recent years the Yukon river salmon that reach Yukon have been diminishing drastically. Last year it was so bad that some Yukon fisheries were closed.

Since the early 1980s the Canadian government has been negotiating with the United States on a management framework for Yukon river salmon.

Could the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans update the House and my constituents here and in Yukon on the progress of the bilateral discussions with the United States?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to announce today that after 16 years of negotiation the United States and Canada have reached an agreement on Yukon salmon.

This has been a long time irritation to Canada. This is great news with respect to Yukon salmon, which has been threatened. Our agreement clearly states the catch sharing agreements, the conservation and the enhancement of Yukon salmon. The treaty is great for salmon and it is great for the fishing community in the north.

[The Speaker]

The right hon. member for Calgary Centre.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

I know there is a lot of competition, but the Chair has to make difficult choices once in a while.

Ethics Counsellor

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Winnipeg—Transcona. My question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.

The government has received recommendations from the ethics counsellor proposing to close the loophole that lets ministers call crown corporations with impunity.

Will the government introduce changes to the law that would prevent that interference with crown corporations and that would make the ethics counsellor responsible directly to parliament and not simply to the Prime Minister?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I will take my hon. friend's comments as a representation.

[The Speaker]

As tempting as it is I see that our time has expired. We will have to save the hon. member for Winnipeg—Transcona for another day.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.