Debates of May 28th, 2001

Justice

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

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member is probably aware, the government made amendments to section 745 in 1997 to ensure that it would only be used in exceptional circumstances.

For example, we introduced a screening mechanism whereby a superior court judge could screen out applications that had no reasonable prospect of success. We also have a new requirement that the jury considering an application must be unanimous.

We have acted to ensure that section 745 is used in only exceptional circumstances.

Young Offenders

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, twice just now, in response to questions from the leader of the Bloc Quebecois and the member for Berthier—Montcalm, the Prime Minister said that Quebec will be able to enforce the legislation as it sees fit and keep the existing system.

If the Prime Minister is serious, why will he not agree to include this in the bill? Just a few words will keep everyone happy.

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

Mr. Speaker, there is absolutely no necessity to indicate anything directly in the bill.

As we have said throughout, the bill is sufficiently flexible to permit Quebec or any other province to work in relation to locally based strategies and approaches. Therefore, it is unnecessary to put any particular section in the legislation.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the time for academic replies is over.

My question is for the Prime Minister. He himself said twice in the House, at the beginning of this oral question period, that Quebec could continue to enforce its young offenders system.

I hold out my hand to him today. If the Prime Minister is serious when he says this, let him rise in the House and include it in the bill so that everyone will be happy. That is all that Quebec wants.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am very surprised at the attitude of the Bloc Quebecois which, as I very clearly remember, voted here in the House in December 1995 against a distinct society for Quebec.

Furthermore, if we were to do as the member requested, if it is true that Quebec's system is as good as all that, I would like the other provinces to be able to do likewise.

Trade

[Charlie Penson, Canadian Alliance, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the government is at it again, undermining the World Trade Organization by offering Northwest Airlines a subsidized loan worth more than a billion dollars to ensure that Bombardier secures a contract with another large American airline.

Only 15 years ago, the federal government sold Canadair to Bombardier to end the drain of public money to the aerospace industry. Why do Canadian taxpayers have to continue financing the former crown corporation in the year 2001?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, we all know how much the reform alliance has always been against Bombardier and does not like to see a worldwide champion of aircrafts, one of the great successes we have had.

Yes, the government will fight for the jobs. No, we will not accept Embraer of Brazil taking back its share in a way that the WTO considers will not respect its international trade obligations. We will get to the bottom of this for the benefit of thousands of Canadians who have jobs in the air industry across Canada.

[Charlie Penson, Canadian Alliance, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is easy to see why we can have national champions when the government is the banker for this company. That is exactly what has happened.

In January the industry minister said the Government of Canada would offer subsidized credit to stop Brazil's Embraer from benefiting from unfair trade practices. He sold this to Canadians as a one time emergency deal. Less than five months later, and as we predicted, Bombardier is back for more.

When will the Liberal government learn that Canadian interests lie in a rules based policy and not an accelerated trade war with Brazil by being Bombardier's banker?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we repeat that in the case of Brazil it is not respecting the decision of the World Trade Organization.

We have said to them that we want to follow trade practices that are acceptable and that they cannot steal jobs away from workers in all parts of Canada who are producing a very good airplane. They should not have their jobs stolen because another country does not respect the rules of this international organization.

Foreign Affairs

[Hélène Scherrer, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for several weeks now, members of the House have been hearing about the serious problems encountered by Mr. M'Barek since his return to Tunisia.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs tell us what the Government of Canada intends to do now that Mr. M'Barek is out of jail?

[Denis Paradis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we learned that Mr. M'Barek was conditionally released on Saturday, until his appeal is heard in September.

We are pleased that our representations and those of our embassy in Tunisia were successful. Our embassy will also be represented at the appeal.

Canada is closely following the human rights situation in Tunisia and it regularly raises related issues with Tunisian authorities, particularly freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

Health

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are reeling today at the news, and yes we are talking news, about the shocking and disturbing finding that Health Canada made a conscious and deliberate decision to ignore its own food safety standards and put human health at risk.

A report by the Ottawa Citizen , backed by laboratory testing, has revealed levels of mercury in several species of fish for sale in Canada that are twice Health Canada's own safety standards.

I trust the Prime Minister is also shocked by these revelations. Is he prepared today to issue a warning to have all retailers remove such fish from the marketplace?

[Yvon Charbonneau, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I am afraid that the hon. member's fishing trip will end rather quickly.

Indeed, Canadians should know that our standards regarding the levels of mercury in fish are twice as strict as those of the United States.

As for the species to which she is referring, namely tuna, shark and swordfish, the Minister of Health indicated that if these species are consumed in very small quantities, they do not pose a threat to health.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I think Canadians will be even more shocked when they hear that kind of answer. We are talking about Canadian standards for health and safety purposes. We are talking about a Health Canada decision to violate those standards and our own law, the law of Canada.

My question today is for the government. Will it put human health and safety first, not only recall all fish that may cause mercury poisoning but issue a proper warning to all people, especially pregnant women, women of child bearing age and young children?

[Yvon Charbonneau, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, Health Canada—we are talking about pregnant women—released a document entitled “Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy”.

This publication includes all the necessary information and appropriate warnings regarding certain species of fish.

These warnings were sent to a dozen health organizations. They were also posted on websites. All the necessary information is available.

Wharves

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Transport knows, when the wharf in Digby, Nova Scotia, was divested to a not for profit society, the not for profit society also got a cheque for over $3 million to cover a 10 year period.

However, on the day the society received the cheque it flipped $1 million to a private company and, over the next 12 months, it flipped a total of $1.9 million to a private company. The department did an internal audit but nothing happened. It has now done an independent audit. Can the minister tell us why this $2 million was flipped out of the not for profit society?

[Brent St. Denis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the member has asked similar questions on numerous occasions and has received very complete answers. He is aware that a thorough audit has been undertaken and that all the issues are being dealt with.

I am not aware of any serious allegations being made other than the ones being made by the member. If the member will allow a little more time for the results of the audit to be borne out in actual practice, he will no doubt get the satisfactory answer for which he is looking.

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, what he is saying is that I have asked the question many times but that I have never received an answer, and I did not get one today.

I have a supplementary question for the Minister of Health, a question I have also asked several times.

Phoenix Agritech, a manufacturer in Nova Scotia, manufactures an electronic device designed to scare birds away from oil spills in airports by making a noise. The Department of Health has deemed this a pesticide so it can charge a pesticide tax under the Pesticide Control Act.

Has the minister yet decided whether he will continue charging the tax as a pesticide or not?

[Yvon Charbonneau, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, under the Food and Drugs Act, these products are deemed to be pesticides and they are subjected to the usual regulations.

Auberge Grand-Mère

[Joe Peschisolido, Canadian Alliance, Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like the Prime Minister to answer a question on the Auberge Grand-Mère.

Has the RCMP been involved at all in this matter and, in particular, has the Prime Minister's Office been in contact with the RCMP regarding the Auberge Grand-Mère?

[John Cannis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows very well that the leader of the Conservative Party did ask for an inquiry and that the RCMP did come back and exonerate the Prime Minister. By his own admission, he was satisfied with the RCMP's investigation.

[Joe Peschisolido, Canadian Alliance, Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in February the official opposition asked, under access to information, for any documents on the Auberge Grand-Mère from the Shawinigan HRDC office. We were told that there was more information available but that it needed more time in order to consult with the RCMP.

Will the Prime Minister today clarify the RCMP's involvement in the Auberge Grand-Mère?

[John Cannis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know how clear I can be. Perhaps there is confusion in the hon. member's party.

I just clarified that the RCMP was asked formally to conduct an inquiry. It did that. It came back. The member accepted the findings of the RCMP. I think the member is just as confused as his party is.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, there are documents to indicate that the Minister of National Defence has concealed from the public the advanced state of contamination of the drinking water wells in the town of Shannon, out of concerns that are far more about image than about public health.

Are we to understand that DND, while aware of the situation, preferred to keep the entire population in the dark for fear that Quebecers would realize how badly served they are by the federal government and would become even more sovereignist?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, that is not the case at all. We are working very closely with the town of Shannon. In fact the mayor of Shannon and a delegation came to see me just a couple of weeks ago. We have entered into a very substantial expenditure of money, over $2 million, to try to get to the bottom of what is causing the problem and to find ways of remedying it.

We are taking this matter very seriously and we are being very responsible. We are communicating with the town, its mayor, its people and the environment ministry in Quebec.