Debates of May 7th, 2001

Health

[John Herron, Progressive Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister says “the reality is”. The reality is that Canada has mere guidelines. We do not have national, enforceable drinking water standards.

The tragic events of last year in Walkerton and the recent water contamination in North Battleford have shattered Canadians' confidence in their drinking water.

Currently, Canada has mere guidelines. Will the government act now on a law where Health Canada would provide for national, enforceable drinking water standards to protect the health of all Canadians?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, working with the Minister of the Environment, I would be happy to speak with the provinces and territories about building on the existing national guidelines, determining whether they are prepared to see federal legislation, and finding out how we can make them more effective than they already are.

However, I do not want the member to think that we can solve all the problems in drinking water simply by snapping our fingers in Ottawa or creating further guidelines or standards. There has to be follow through.

We had a national infrastructure program, for example. We made billions of dollars available to provinces so that working with municipalities they could put new treatment systems in place.

[John Herron, Progressive Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Speaker, this comes down to leadership. In the January throne speech the Government of Canada pledged that it would “fulfil its direct responsibility for water”. The federal government has the responsibility to provide leadership on this issue.

Tomorrow the House will be voting on a motion that calls for the government to enshrine into law national drinking water standards. Will government members join others in the House in signalling that parliament cares about drinking water in Canada, and will the government vote for the Progressive Conservative motion tomorrow?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we recall that party was in office for many years. I do not have any record before me that during its years in office it created any such national legislation.

We will look at the resolution tomorrow and we will debate it at the appropriate time. However let me make the point that the interest of the government is in seeing that Canadians have access to safe and clean drinking water.

That is why we worked with the provinces as we have. That is why we made infrastructure money available, and we will continue in those efforts.

The Economy

[Jason Kenney, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, statistics released today prove what Canadians already know, that under the Liberal government we are getting poorer and our standard of living is falling behind that of our major trading partner.

In fact Canadian disposable incomes fell from about 80% to only 70% of U.S. levels over the past decade. Why does the finance minister keep telling us that everything is A-OK when in fact Canada continues to fall behind economically?

[Roy Cullen, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, improving labour productivity is a complex, long term problem that requires long term solutions, not the kind of quick fixes they are used to over there. In fact they cannot even get their own management regime sorted out.

That is why the government introduced policies that would get our fiscal house in order, and we have made tremendous progress acknowledged the world over.

Following that, the government has made a lot of investments in research and development and in policies that encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. Businesses are responding big time with investments in machinery and equipment.

[Jason Kenney, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, no one is accusing them of quick fixes. What is happening big time is a decline in our standard of living. Per capita incomes have fallen to 78% from 87% of U.S. levels.

The member talked about productivity. Our productivity growth is about one-third as high as in the United States. Why does he continue to give us this kind of warmed over Liberal rhetoric when Canadians continue to see their standard of living, their disposable income and our wealth as a nation decline against those of our major trading partner?

[Roy Cullen, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, before the government could deal with productivity, we had to get our fiscal house in order. That is why we eliminated the deficit. We are paying down the debt. We are cutting taxes. We have low inflation. We have low interest rates.

Business is responding to this positive environment. In fact machinery and equipment investments were up 18.9% in the year 2000, the fifth consecutive year of strong growth. Corporate taxes will be 5% lower than the combined U.S. state taxes in about nine of the bordering states. We are making the biggest tax cuts in Canadian history and our productivity is turning around.

Monetary Union

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

Mr. Speaker, an internal Bank of Canada document indicated that it does not in the least reject the idea of a form of monetary union between Canada and the United States. Moreover, Governor Dodge seems to be more open than his predecessor to this. The existence of this document, coupled with recent statements by Mr. Dodge, suggests that this government is talking out of both sides of its mouth.

My question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. Is the government not merely trying to conceal the fact that it has gone much further than it would like people to think in its consideration of a form of monetary union between Canada and the United States?

[Roy Cullen, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I attended that meeting as well, and I would like to quote the hon. member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, who said “Mr. Governor, it is not the floating system I object to, far from it. I think it is the right way to go”.

The government has said time and time again that we are committed to a sovereign monetary policy. That is the best thing for Canada and that is the best thing for Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Quebecois, the premier of Quebec, Nobel Laureate Robert Mundell, the Fraser and C.D. Howe Institutes, the TD Bank, and in particular the Bank of Canada itself are looking at the advisability of forming a monetary union between Canada and the United States.

My question is for the Prime Minister. When the Minister of Finance speaks out against those who defend the principle of a single currency, is he trying to lead us on the wrong track or is he indicating real disagreement with the Bank of Canada, which would surely be a great cause of concern?

[Roy Cullen, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, it is strangely ironic that a sovereignist party would propose that Canada give up its monetary sovereignty.

While some are concerned about the Canadian dollar, and clearly the Canadian government monitors the situation closely, it has actually outperformed almost every other currency. We have a strong currency. It reflects a strong Canada. It reflects the culture and the determination of Canadians to have a strong country united sea to sea.

Infrastructure

[Gerry Ritz, Canadian Alliance, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, in typical Liberal fashion, the government throws large gobs of money at real problems and then drags its feet on delivery.

Before last fall's election the government promised hundreds of millions of dollars to rework sewer and water facilities. Six months later another community, North Battleford, has a major contamination. Guess what? The government cannot trigger any of that promised money.

When will the government get its act together, cut the red tape and get out the money it promised?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I already made reference to the infrastructure program which of course is a way for us to work with our partners in provinces and municipalities to make sure that kind of money is available.

[An hon. member]

It is $56 million in Saskatchewan.

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

I am reminded that it is $56 million in Saskatchewan. These sums are intended to go into local works. They will provide for water, sewage, bridges and other important infrastructure to make sure Canadians have what they need.

[Gerry Ritz, Canadian Alliance, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, there is a major problem. The application forms have not even been designed yet. Time is not on our side on the issue of safe water.

All communities need access to safe water today, not days and months from now. Platitudes, promises and public relation spins will not fix any problem.

The Minister of Health pledged his support this weekend. I will ask him again. When will he remove the bureaucratic delay and start the money flowing into communities?

[Ronald J. Duhamel, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification) (Francophonie)]

Mr. Speaker, it is a program they were against. We had it once and will have it again. The application forms have come forward. A number of announcements have already been made.

It is too bad they are not watching what is happening. It is a top priority. We have said it time and time again. We will have a number of other announcements within the next couple of weeks.

I know the members of the opposition do not like that. They grimace, they laugh, they make fools of themselves, but that is the truth.

Space Shield

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned by the American administration's decision to go ahead and implement an anti-missile shield. According to an internal report, Canada, through its undertakings in connection with NORAD activities, may have a hard time eluding the final decision of the American administration.

Could the minister explain how his involvement in NORAD will not compromise his manoeuvring room in this matter?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, NORAD's agreement has just been renewed for a further five years between Canada and the United States. It is a very key defence document and is one that works quite well. Both countries, working together, can make sure we can survey the airspace and the outer space areas in which any object, plane or missile could affect security in North America. It will continue to be the case.

Meanwhile, we are in a consultation phase on the missile defence program and are waiting for specifics from the United States on the matter.

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to know how the government can let us think that no decision has been made, when the army is proceeding with the joint $600 million space project, which is linked to the space shield project, according to the Canadian army's documents?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, it is not directly linked to national missile defence. It is linked to our responsibilities in NORAD in terms of surveillance. Surveillance of incoming missiles is a part of NORAD's current responsibility, so the joint space project fits in well with all that. It does not necessarily relate at all to missile defence.

Public Works

[Andy Burton, Canadian Alliance, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, according to today's Globe and Mail there was no specific competition for the Group Action contract worth $615,000.

In the transport and government operations standing committee on May 26, the Minister of Public Works and Government Services said “Every time there was a sole source contract above $25,000 my officials came and briefed me and asked my opinion”.

If this is the case, why would the minister agree to such a blatant misuse of taxpayer dollars?

[Alfonso Gagliano, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, let me say that this contract was competitive. All communication agencies recompeted. Once the agencies are qualified then contracts are a given. This was not a sole source contract. It was a competitive contract.

[Andy Burton, Canadian Alliance, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it certainly looks like awarding large advertising contracts to friends of the Liberals is becoming a habit of this minister. First Mrs. Tremblay and now Group Action. Who is next?

If as in the minister's response this is such an acceptable expenditure, why has the government refused to release the Group Action report of findings related to this contract? Why are they not released and when will they be released?